Juicy, sweet, fragrant pears taste so good and are so good for you. Scrumptious solo, they also partner well with many other foods and flavors, including cheese, chocolate, ginger, black pepper and honey. You can use them raw in salads and desserts or poach, bake, grill, roast or sauté pears in sweet and savory dishes.

There are over 5,000 different kinds of pears. Some well-known varieties are Anjou, Bartlett and Comice pears, which all have a mouth-watering, buttery texture. There are also spicy-tasting Bosc pears and crunchy Asian pears. Forelle and Seckel pears make great garnishes and kids’ snacks, because of their smaller size.

Pears are one of the few fruits that are better harvested under ripe. Leave hard pears to soften and ripen at room temperature on your kitchen table or countertop. Ripe pears are delicate and should be stored in the refrigerator.

Thanks to their sweet, distinctive flavor, pears have a great culinary range. They make wonderful sauces, compotes and butters. They also taste heavenly teamed with greens and robust cheeses, like Parmesan or Gorgonzola. Pears are equally wonderful in baked goods. See our top five recipes.

The goodness doesn’t stop at taste. Pears are a fine source of vitamin C and, surprisingly, supply twice as much fiber as a piece of whole wheat bread. Leave the skin on your pear, it provides extra fiber and nutrients.