As ubiquitous as they are come fall, pears remain a bit of an enigma. Why are they so hard when you buy them? Why do they seemingly take forever to ripen? Why do they finally ripen exactly when ...

Use ripe pears that are still firm. Overripe pears will disintegrate during baking, and pears that aren’t ripe enough will be stiff and not sufficiently sweet. Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes ...

the green or blush-tinged yellow pears that are the most-produced variety in the U.S. They should be ripe but also firm: When poaching or baking pears (for this crostata, you'll do both), fruits ...

Pears are normally sold hard as they bruise easily. They will ripen in a few days at room temperature, but turn woolly if over-ripe. Pears are served cooked or raw, but in either case toss in a ...