Forelle Pears

Here’s a quick German lesson: the German word “Forelle” means “trout.” This pear is said to be named after the rainbow trout. After all, the pear’s skin is similar to the fish’s scales.

Appearance & Flavor

Forelles are small, dense, bell-shaped pears that are green with a few deep red spots when they’re unripe, but as they mature, those spots become more predominant and the skin turns yellow. The juicy and crisp flesh is aromatic and colored white or cream. Its flavor is spicy but sweet-almost like candy. Avoid bruised, punctured, or soft pears.

Ways to Enjoy

Due to their size, people rarely bake them, but why bake them when you can make these simple fritters instead? Most popularly eaten raw, slices of these pears go great in salads, soups, and as part of a cheese plate.

Availability & Origin

Forelle pears are available from March to December; Chile provides the fruit from March to August and then the Pacific Northwest takes over production for September to December.

Storage

You can store unripe pears in the coldest part of the fridge for several weeks. But ripe ones will only last about three days. After slicing, they can be stored in an air-tight container or bag in the back of the fridge and will keep for about two days.