Nashi Pear

The nashi pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is the Japanese-Korean Asian pear — round, golden-brown, russet-skinned, with a snap-crisp white flesh that holds far more juice than a European pear has any right to.

Unlike Bartlett or Conference pears, nashi doesn't soften as it ripens. It's at its best firm, with a clean apple-like crunch and a gentle floral sweetness that sits closer to a green melon than to a Western pear. There's no graininess, no waiting for it to give to pressure — what you buy is what you eat.

Serve cold, unpeeled. Slice into salads with bitter leaves and walnut, pair with strong cheeses (a Stilton or a Roquefort works beautifully), or simply quarter and eat out of hand. The skin is thin and edible. Stores in the fridge for up to two weeks.