Pears have been enjoyed by civilizations for over 3,000 years! Packham pears are a juicy and sweet variety, which are great when eaten fresh, or when cooked to make a strudel, crumble, pie or compote. You can also try them as part of a fruit salad, savoury salad or a cheese platter.

How do we make sure we provide top quality Packham pears?

The pear should have a fairly firm texture at the stem end which slightly gives to preasure (this is the best indicator of ripeness because pears ripen from the inside; the softer they are, the riper they are). The pear ahould have a yellow-green complexion (which depends on ripeness) and a bell-like shape and have no wrinkles. We pay particular attention to any handling injuries (such as stalk piercing or bruising); this quickens the process of ripening, and often leads to unedible decay areas around the wound. Eat the pear when the colour changes from green to yellow, and the pear begins to soften (rather than be hard).

Where do we source our pears from?

Pears require a temperate climatic environment. They grow well in the fertile and well-drained soils around Bacchus Marsh, and we source our pears locally when supply is available. If local supply is short, we source off other Victorian growers in the Goulburn Valley or Mornington Penninsula areas. If Victorian supply is short, we try to source off growers in the Huon region of Tasmania, or the Adelaide Hills or Riverland region of South Australia.

What is the best way to keep pears?

If the flesh is hard, ripen pears at room temperature (between 16°C and 21°C) for two to five days (you can speed up the process by placing them in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana). They store best (either ripe or unripe) in the fridge (optimal storage conditions are at 0°C and 90%-100% relative humidity). Don’t store them for too long though, excessive refrigerated storage means they lose their ability to ripen naturally and instead of converting starches to natural sugars, the pear creates acetaldehyde and ferments.

Pear nutritional information

Pears are low in GI (meaning they release glucose gradually into your bloodstream, which gives you sustained energy throughout the day). They are also packed full of fibre, vitamin C and folate.

Pear seasonal information

Packham pears are in season from February until October.

Pear serving tips and suggestions

Some pears have a very hard layer (known as ‘stone cells’) just below their surface. This is the result of a number of cells just below the skin having a high lignin content, and is a natural defence mechanism for the pear. If you only want the softest part of the pear, try peeling off the stone cell layer.