Pear tree in the backyardIn California, July marks the beginning of pear season. The tree in our backyard is already full of fruits and I’m already thinking of ways to use them.

Ripen pears in room temperature
I picked these pears a little early because I’m already competing with birds eating my fruit…grr.

Before having a pear tree, I would just buy my pears in a grocery store without much thought on how to choose them. So when our tree beared fruit, I picked a bunch and sliced them up. Not good. The pears were hard and not sweet at all.

I feel silly not knowing this, but I had no idea that pears don’t ripen on the tree. Pears need to be harvested when mature and left at room temperature to ripen. Who knew?!

Press the neck to check for pear ripenessNot only do pears not ripen on the tree, some will not change color when ripe. So how do you check for ripeness? The best way to check for ripeness is to press on the neck of the pear near the stem (please disregard the dry hands). If the pear gives way or is slightly soft, it’s ripe!  Once the pear is ripe, place them in the refrigerator to slow the ripening process.

[Tweet “How to ripen pears & 10 summertime pear recipes @pinterventures”]

Summertime Pear Dessert RecipesNow that I know how to ripen pears (who0-hoo!), I’ve been getting ready for the abundance of pears by searching for recipes on Pinterest. Here are a few of my 10 summertime pear recipe favorite picks from Pinterest. Enjoy!

  1. Caramel Pear Crisp @Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
  2. Pear Cheesecake Bars @Life Made Sweeter
  3. Caramelized Pear Pie Filling @Kleinworth & Co.
  4. Soft Pear Cake @Prairies on Petals
  5. Chewy Brown Sugar Pear Bars @Southern Plate
  6. Coconut Milk Ice Cream @Farm On Plate 
  7. POMegranate and Pear Sorbet @Lick The Bowl Good
  8. Crescent Roll Turnovers @Weary Chef – uses canned pears but I think this can be adapted
  9. Chocolate Dipped Pear Popsicles @Around My Family Table
  10. Maple Pear Cupcakes @Java Cupcake

Do you have a favorite pear dessert recipe?

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13 Comments

  1. Oh Yum! I get so excited each week to see what you have been working on because it’s always AMAZING! Thank you for sharing this with us. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you on Monday at 7 pm, so we can party!!!! Lou Lou Girls

  2. I wish I had enough sun in my yard for fruit trees! But I’ll have to settle for my store bought pears for now. They all look delicious! Thank you for sharing. #MerryMondays

  3. I didn’t know how pears ripen, either!

    How great to have your very own pears growing in your backyard. 🙂

    1. I know right?! I can’t believe I’ve gone for so long not knowing this information.

      Yes, it’s nice to have some fruits and veggies in the backyard. Our neighbors like it too. They have small children and they enjoy picking the fruits that hang over in their yard.