Pears

Sweet, floral, and subtly spicy. They have a mellow acidity compared to apples and a unique, slightly grainy texture that feels elegant rather than crunchy.

Pears have plenty of fibre to keep your gut happy. You also get a bit of vitamin C, useful for fending off sniffles and protecting your cells. Nothing groundbreaking, but a decent fruit all the same.

Avoid pears with soft spots or bruised skin. Unlike most fruit, you don't want them soft all over. Check the 'neck' near the stem. If it gives slightly to firm pressure, it's ripe and ready.

If they are rock hard, they're perfect for buying—just give them a few days on the counter.

Keep unripe pears at room temperature until the neck gives slightly. Once they reach that point, move them to the fridge to slow down the process and keep them at peak ripeness for a few more days.

Pears held their shape beautifully when poached in wine, tea, or sugar syrup. They are excellent in tarts and cakes where their floral sweetness balances buttery pastry.

Don't ignore the savoury side. Roasted pears pair brilliantly with pork, or sliced thin in a salad with walnuts and a sharp blue cheese.

Pears are one of the few fruits that ripen better off the tree than on it. They're picked hard on purpose.

A pear is ripe when the flesh just under the stem gives to gentle thumb pressure. Squeeze the body and you'll bruise it before you know it's ready.

The window between perfect and mealy is about a day. Buy them hard, watch them daily, eat them the moment they yield.