Passe Crassane (Pyrus communis) — France's definitive winter pear, bred by Louis Boisbunel in Rouen in 1845 and once the most widely cultivated pear variety in the country. You will recognise them immediately by the red wax sealing the stem — a signature of this variety and not merely decorative. The wax prevents moisture loss through the stem during the months of cold storage that Passe Crassane requires to reach eating condition. These are not pears that ripen on the tree. They are harvested firm in late autumn, placed in cold storage, and slowly develop their full character over the winter months. By the time they reach you, the transformation is complete.

Ripe Passe Crassane has a dense, granular flesh that is free of fibre and remarkably juicy — closer in texture to a Comice than a Conference, but with a character entirely its own. The flavour is aromatic and sweet-tart with distinct floral and citrus notes, and a richness that only develops through extended storage. The skin is russeted and greenish-yellow, rough in patches, with a speckled appearance that may not look polished but is exactly as it should be. Passe Crassane has become increasingly rare in commercial cultivation due to its susceptibility to fireblight, making it a genuinely seasonal and limited product. Eat fresh with cheese — it pairs particularly well with both washed-rind and hard aged styles — or poach gently in wine or vanilla syrup, where the dense flesh holds its shape.

Origin: France

Ingredients: Passe Crassane pears (Pyrus communis)

Storage: If still firm on arrival, leave at room temperature for a few days until the flesh yields gently near the stem. Refrigerate once ripe and consume within two to three days.