Bosc Pear

Bosc pear is a russet-brown pear with a long, slender neck and dense, fine-grained flesh. It stays firm when cooked and tastes honeyed with a mild spice note, making it excellent for poaching, roasting, and baking into tarts or cakes; it also slices cleanly for salads and cheese boards. Sold fresh by the piece; also seen canned as halves or slices.

Developed in 19th-century Europe and associated with Belgium and France, it later spread to major growing regions in the Pacific Northwest and Europe. Growers harvest in late summer to fall, then condition and distribute widely for winter markets.