On March 15th, National Pears Hélène Day celebrates a food holiday about the delicious, smooth French dessert combining warm poached pears, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce.
- 1134 BC – Asian pears were cultivated in China as early as 1134 B.C.
- 1620 – The first pear tree was planted in North America in 1620 in the Massachusetts Bay colony.
- 1846 – Escoffier, the French Chef, restaurateur, culinary writer, and creator of Pears Helene, is born
- 1864 – French Chef Auguste Escoffier created the dessert in honor of the operetta La belle Hélène by Jacques Offenbach.
- 1864 – “La belle Hélène,” or “The beautiful Helene,” premiers at the ‘Théâtre des Variétés,’ Pari
- 1950s – People begin to adopt simpler versions of Pears Helene.
- 2005 – The pear became the official fruit of the U.S. state of Oregon in 2005.
- There are more than 3,000 varieties of pears grown in the world.
- Washington, Oregon and Northern California grow more than 95% of the pears sold in the United States.
- California grows 60% of all Bartlett pears in the United States.
- Pears ripen best off of the tree.
- They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C as well as copper, fiber, and potassium.
- Pears are less allergenic than many other fruits.
- To judge ripeness apply gentle thumb pressure near the base of the stem. If it yields to gentle pressure it’s ripe.
- The pear is any of several tree and shrub species of genus Pyrus, in the family Rosaceae. It is also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued for their edible fruit, while others are cultivated as ornamental trees.
- The Chinese considered the pear, which they call “li,” to be a symbol of immortality. The destruction of a pear tree symbolized tragic or untimely death.
- Before tobacco was introduced in Europe, pear leaves were smoked.
- Most pears (about 95%) sold in the U.S. are grown on the west coast, in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California.
- The Bartlett is the most popular variety of pear in the United States.
- Pears were used as a natural remedy against nausea in ancient Greece.
- The wood of the pear tree is used to construct musical instruments and sometimes even furniture and other wood décor.
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