PRODUCT: Harry & David Royal Riviera Pears
Twice the size of a typical Anjou, Bartlett |
We taste so many refined carbs in the course of our work day that we were thrilled to receive a gift box of Harry & David’s Royal Riviera pears, in season through February. Enormous, creamy, juicy and good-for-you, they’re a treat for the family or a gift for friends and clients who prefer the healthy life to receiving boxes of fudge. (We’re omnivores—send it all!)
How big are Royal Riviera pears? Helped by a lush rainfall this season, ours weighed about 13.5 ounces each, had a diameter of 3-1/2 inches and had “hips” (measured around the broadest part) of 11-1/4 inches! Grown in Harry & David’s orchards in Southern Oregon, they are transplants of the Doyenne du Comice pears France, grafted onto a sturdier American pear rootstock. The variety surfaced in France in 1849 and came to Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, home of Harry & David (Medford, OR) in 1897. “Doyenne du Comice“ translates to “Top of Show.” We enjoyed our Royal Rivieras with some of our favorite blue cheeses from Harry & David’s Oregon neighbor, Rogue Creamery (co-owner David Gremmels is one of the greatest American cheesemakers). We had his cheeses in our fridge, but a gift box of this “pear-ing” is available through Harry & David, along with pears-only from $29.95 and up. Should you be so fortunate as to receive too many pears to eat up as hand fruit, the variety is excellent sliced into salads, baked (plain, like baked apples, or in a tart) and poached (one of our favorite desserts). |
|
|
||
Jenny said,
December 5, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
I love Harry & David’s pears. Did you know they are Comice pears and can now usually be found in your regular grocery store!
admin said,
December 29, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
Jenny,
We have bought Comice pears in our local produce shop, but they’re not as tender and juicy as Harry & David’s.
You may enjoy this story of how Harry & David began, which goes into detail about the Comice, “the fruit of kings,†which originated in the south of France. When H & D decided to brand it, they called it the Royal Riviera. http://blog.thenibble.com/2009/11/09/book-happy-anniversary-harry-david/