Warren Pears are Back!

Warren Pears are Back!

Warren PearThe pear you heard about last year is back and better than ever. Though we are known most for our peaches, Frog Hollow’s Warren Pear variety received all the attention last year when it was featured in Martha Stewart Living November 2011, the L.A. Times Nov. 2011 and was chosen for Oprah Magazine’s “O’s Favorite Things: 2011 Gift Guide.

In addition to Bay Area farmers markets, our shop at San Francisco’s Ferry Building, the Warren pears are available at http://www.froghollow.com until January, or as long as supplies last. They are featured and sold on their own in a 3lb, 5lb or 10lbs box, or in an attractive gift box, as well as in various gift basket assortments.

Owner Al Courchesne (better known as “Farmer Al”) focuses on taste and quality over grocery store hardiness. Of the Warren Pear, Courchesne specifies the difficulty and sensitivity in the growing process as one of the key factors in what makes this variety of pear so special: “Commercial farmers won’t grow it, even though it has a superior taste to common pears like the bartlett. They say it’s too fragile, too much work. But if you do put in the time and effort it takes to grow the Warren, you reap the benefits ten-fold in how it tastes”. The fruit is considered too delicate for non-specialty grocery stores and because the trees require special attention, like hand-pollination, most growers won’t consider the Warren Pear as part of their harvest menu.

As with all of our fruit, the Warren pear is hand-tended and hand-harvested by highly specialized crew members who live and work on the farm year-round. our skilled workers have often decades of training, trained in the needs of fragile, high quality and organic fruit. A unique combination of organic farming techniques, specialized attention and California sunshine distinguish the growing process of this pear from other fruit, but where the Warren truly outpaces other pears is in taste.

The consistency of the Warren when fully ripened is soft and silky. Children and adults who would normally turn up their nose at pears are easily converted into pear lovers with the Warren, as it avoids the gritty textures reminiscent of many pear varieties. The texture combined with its buttery vanilla tones and a juicy sweetness makes the Warren Pear superior to the standard comice.

A Frog Hollow Warren has a notable color range; A blend of green with hints of rosy red and earthy brown tones, the Warren Pear is a beautiful fruit and a classic centerpiece for entertaining. Traditionally popular for holiday gift baskets, Frog Hollow fruit takes gourmet to another level by offering a Pear & Cheese Gift Pack (Frog Hollow signature Warren Pears and handmade cheese from a local, sustainable dairy farm).

Though they ship directly to homes and businesses across the country (check out http://www.froghollow.com for ordering info), our Warren Pears have also become popular with many high-end chefs and restaurants throughout the United States. The superior taste and versatility of the fruit allow for creativity in the development of dishes. The taste of the Warren Pear is so exquisite, some chefs vouch that it can stand on its own; they serve the Frog Hollow fruit ‘naked’ as a desert to their patrons.

Finding the Warren Pear anywhere but Frog Hollow Farm is difficult, and why would you try? Though the Warren proves to be a difficult fruit to grow, Farmer Al and his folks in the orchard continue to outshine large commercial competitors despite the small size of the farm. Frog Hollow has perfected the Warren Pear in taste, and done so while practicing sustainable farming and a commitment to organic, great tasting fruit.

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