Asian pear
From December to March our local shops stock asian pear, which is imported from China.
It’s shaped like a plump pear, but doesn’t taste quite as sweet. It’s more crisp than a pear, though not as crisp as an apple or even a nashi (which some people also call the asian pear). It’s most refreshing.
It’s firm when ripe, and doesn’t bruise as easily as a pear. The ones I’ve bought have always been ready to eat, but they keep for around three weeks. They don’t seem to ripen off the tree.
The cost ranges from 50 pence each at the supermarket, down to 12 pence each at the asian food store.
Just peel, quarter, then cut out the core and the layer of harder flesh around the core. For maximum flavour chomp into small pieces with your front teeth as you feed it into your mouth. It can also be cooked in any recipe that uses pears.