- 1). Pick fruit when pears are full-size and have begun to change color but have not yet begun to soften. Once fruit begins to fall from the tree, pick a full-size pear and test by cutting the surface. If juice appears, it's time to start harvesting.
- 2). Lift each pear and twist slightly to harvest. Pear should pull away from the branch easily, without tearing the wood. Handle carefully so as not to bruise the fruit, which is very delicate.
- 3). Let pears ripen in a cool, dark place with temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees F (18 and 21 degrees C). Fruit should be soft to the touch. Seeds will be brown, but flesh will still be white or yellow. Most pears can be stored in this way for one to two months.
- 4). Keep pears refrigerated for longer storage. Remove them about a week before they will be needed and allow ripening process to finish. To ripen faster, place pears in a plastic bag along with a ripe apple. For even longer storage, can or preserve.
- 5). Eat fresh, use in salads or in a sauce, poach, or bake into desserts.
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