Asian Pear

Also Nashi (Japanese for pear), Apple Pear, Sand Pear, Salad Pear, Chinese Pear, Oriental Pear (also called, incorrectly, Pear Apple)

Each time you meet up with an Asian pear in the market it seems to look little like the last. You’ll find a wide range of seemingly disparate fruits, from petite and chartreuse to mammoth and brown. They may be smooth-skinned and lacquer-like, or, more commonly, sprinkled with a confetti of russeting. While there is much variation among the types of the fruit, the basic characteristics are as follows: Asian pears are crunch and juice, so crisp-firm they can be cut paper-thin, their nectar welling up and pouring off each slice. They are lightly sweet, low in acid and aroma, mild to bland in flavor, and granular in texture. If you cook them, they will take longer than “regular” pears. Asian pears are ready to eat when you buy them, and can be stored for a long period. With the exception of Ya Li and Tsu Li, two Chinese varieties (both yellow-green), Asian pears sold in the United States are round.