I must admit, however, that Wilder had a point when she asserted that the fragrance of the tree's blossoms is "not agreeable. Sniffing them you quickly pierce the light surface sweetness and reach something mawkish, almost fetid." Though still very pretty, they're a bit plainer than apple blossoms as well, since they frequently lack the touch of pink.
Although, like most Americans, I prefer the taste of apples, I've found that pears can also be delicious if they're fully ripe. Since they are generally picked and shipped while they are still green, they should be allowed to soften and mellow a bit before they are consumed.
There was, among the ancients, an idea that the fruits were somewhat toxic when eaten raw. A 16th-century manuscript warns that "Peres causeth ye colyck passion in ye bowlles." And Culpeper asserts pears "that are hard and sour do. . .bind the belly." Years ago, a child hereabouts was supposed to have died from eating too many of the unripe fruits. But the same sort of "colic" could, I suspect, have been caused by green apples too.
These days, pears are actually considered one of the most easily digested foods. Heinerman recommends them (along with their relative, the quince) "as a soothing and strengthening tonic for delicate digestive systems. . ." They are also one of the few foods that are completely non-allergenic, and their low glycemic index makes them ideal for diabetics. They are also a good source of potassium and antioxidants.
Pliny the Elder called the varieties that produced the sweetest fruits but weren't good keepers "proud" pears, and the varieties that stored well but tasted best cooked "winter" types. The Seckel would probably be considered a "proud" pear, while the Kieffer would be a "winter." The Bartlett, on the other hand, may be the best all-around variety.
It was actually developed by British schoolmaster John Stair, but a Massachusetts nurseryman, Enoch Bartlett, chose to name the pear after himself. Much earlier, some British monks had also developed the Wardon type. So, when Shakespeare refers to "Warden pies," we can probably assume that he meant some sort of pear pastries.
The British even found a good use for the less desirable pears. They crushed them to make a fermented "cider" called perry. Ironically enough what one writer described as "sharp and shrewish Pears" (AKA "choke" pears) worked best for this purpose, while the dessert varieties just tasted flat. Although I'm not familiar with perry, my parents frequently added sweet pears to our apple cider to make it a little less acidic. The British, on the other hand, sometimes added crabapples to perry to make it more acidic!
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