Tis the season for pears. Let’s face it. Who needs pumpkins when you have pears?

That said, do you know how to choose a perfect pear? Well, if not, read on!

Because these gorgeous fruits are grown to maturity on the tree and then brought to ripeness at room temperature off the tree, it can be hard to judge whether certain varieties are ready to be eaten or not.

With a Bartlett it’s fairly straightforward, because the skin changes from green to golden, indicating ripeness. However, with others such as Bosc, Comice, and D’Anjou, it is harder to judge because the skin doesn’t change color and the flesh doesn’t soften all that much.

That’s why it’s worth mastering the “Check the Neck” technique. Developed by the USA Pears, this simple method teaches us to apply some pressure to the pear’s neck, which is also the stem end. If the pear yields to the gentle pressure, then it is sweet, ripe, and ready to eat!

It’s so worth learning quirky tips like this one, because they make grocery shopping and cooking for seasonal ingredients so much more enjoyable and successful!