To the ancient Romans, a pear was a pirum, a name that Old English adopted as peru in the eleventh century (about six hundred years later, Peru was also introduced to English as the name of a South American country, a name that derives not from Latin but from the Guarani word piru, meaning water). Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the spelling of the fruif s name shifted, moving from peru to peore to pere to pyre to peer before finally settling on pear in the sixteenth century. One of these alternate spellings, pyre, arose due to the misconception that the fruit’s name was somehow related to pyre, a fire in which a body is cremated; so persistent was this misconception that Carolus Linnaeus, who in the eighteenth century invented the modern system of classifying flora and fauna, mistakenly chose pyrus as the scientific name for the pear tree, a name employed by botanists to this day.
The succulent produce of a tree that thrives in a multitude of moderate climate regions, the pear showcases a rounded form at its base while tapering elegantly towards its stem. A diverse array of pear cultivars exists, encompassing both varieties suited for consumption in their natural state and those suitable for culinary applications. Among them, certain pears stand out for their exceptional juiciness and delightful sweetness. When allowed to reach optimal ripeness, these pears serve as an exquisite choice for a satisfying dessert. However, caution must be exercised to prevent them from becoming excessively ripe, as they tend to lose their texture and flavor, becoming mushy and lacking in taste. By combining ripe pears with other fruits, cream, ice cream, and similar accompaniments, they can contribute to delectable cold desserts. To ascertain a pear’s readiness for consumption, a dessert pear should yield ever so slightly to gentle pressure applied near its stem.