Pear of Emilia-Romagna PGI

The production area of the Pear of Emilia-Romagna PGI includes several municipalities in the provinces of Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Modena, Ravenna and Bologna, in the Emilia-Romagna region.

The plants used are those traditionally used in the production area, with the possibility, for new plants, to have a density per hectare up to a maximum of 6,000 plants. Where possible, integrated or biological control techniques are preferred for plant protection. The harvest takes place in a scalar manner depending on the ripening of the different varieties: for example, the first to reach maturity are the summer varieties Santa Maria and Carmen, followed by the William, then the Conference, which is harvested in the first half of September; the Kaiser gathers instead in the second decade of September while the Dean and the Abbot Fetel mature in late September. Harvesting operations are usually carried out by hand. The maximum unit production is 50 tons per hectare for all allowed cultivars.

The first historical data on pear cultivation date back to the early fourteenth century. The fruit is well known and appreciated in Emilia-Romagna, so much so that it is depicted on a table of about 1420, the "Madonna della pera", considered the work of an anonymous Venetian master and preserved at the Pinacoteca Comunale of Cesena. In the Early Middle Ages, arboriculture did not seem to be much practiced, only at the end of the fifteenth century agronomists began to devote serious attention to this productive sector, so that, already from the seventeenth century, Romagna and Emilia had hills scattered with orchards.

Characteristics

The Pear of Emilia-Romagna PGI in the variety Abate Fetel is calebassiform, rather elongated and is light green-yellowish, with rust at the extremes; the Conference is pyriform, often symmetrical, with a green-yellow skin and widespread rust; the Decana del Comizio has swirled shape, smooth skin light green-yellowish often colored pink, with scattered russeting; the Kaiser is calebassiforme-pyriform and has rough skin completely rusty; the William and the Max Red Bartlett are cidoniform-short or pyriform, with smooth skin with a green-yellow background colour, more or less covered by a pinkish or bright red over-colour, sometimes streaked; the Cascade has a heterogeneous doliform shape with vertical and transverse asymmetry, with light green skin of background with bright red over-color and with scattered russeting; the Passa Crassana is maliform, often doliform and is consistent, green and with lenticellar russeting; the Santa Maria is pyriform or pyriform truncated, with smooth skin of green-green coloryellow; the Carmen is calebassiform, slightly elongated and is green with pink facets. The taste is sweet for everyone, sometimes aromatic.

Pairings

The Pear of Emilia-Romagna PGI is suitable for different gastronomic uses, either to be tasted alone at the end of a meal or for an inviting snack, healthy and rich in vitamins, but also in combination with other ingredients both sweet and salty.

One of the most appropriate pairings is the one with cheeses. The Pear of Emilia-Romagna PGI, in fact, goes perfectly with Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino di Fossa and other hard and mature cheeses.

There are many famous recipes in which we recommend the use of this pear: the Risotto Gorgonzola and Pear, the Pie with Pears and Mascarpone, the Tart of Pears, the baked pears, the maffin with pears and nuts, are just a few.

Try it also with mecodonia, in combination with apple and peach and nectarine of Romagna PGI. A great base also for smoothies, smoothies and to be put under spirits.