Pears refer to the pomaceous fruit of pear trees, which are cultivated both as a food source and for decoration. All pears are from the genus Pyrus and come from the rose plant family: rosaceae. Pears are native to western Europe and north Africa, where they have been cultivated since prehistoric times! There are an incredible number of variations of pears; I know I love trying new ones every time I see them in the farmers’ market. Pears can add a crunchy or soft texture with light sweetness to almost any dish; one of my favorite recipes that exemplifies this is my Coconut Oil-Poached Whitefish with Asian Pear Slaw.
Pears are one of those rare examples of fruit or vegetable that don’t have much by way of nutrition. While they are a good source of carbohydrates (including fiber), they are very limited in micronutrients, providing no significant dietary vitamin or mineral content per 100g.
As I mentioned, you can pick up pears at your local farmers’ market in the fall, or you can find them in your grocery store.
Ghee