Comice pears are the bottom heavy pear. They don't have very long "necks". One look and you can tell that you are eating a comice pear. You can also spot them by their green color with little or alot of red blush.
Why would you want to eat a comice? They are a very sweet pear, with a pleasing texture. When purchased you can put them in a paper bag to ripen and before long you will have a sweet treat in your mouth. They are sometimes called "the Christmas pear" because you often find them in super markets around Christmas, so they make an excellent addition to fruit baskets. They usually last in the stores until about March, and then make their re-apperance in the fall.
Comice pears are best enjoyed eating out of hand. The thing that makes them great for eating out of hand, is what makes them poor for cooking. When making pies or other deserts from them, you will end up with a lot of juice which can lead to a mess or they can make a desert too sweet.
The comice pear orginated in France during the 1800s. It evenually made it's way over to the United States. They can grow in many states, but don't do as well in the northern climates of states like North Dakota, Minnesota, or Wisconsin.
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