March 15th is National Pears Helene Day! Pears Helene or Pears Belle-Helene is a delicious French dessert that combines warm poached pears, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce. Auguste Escoffier first created this dish and named it after the opera, “La belle Helene.”
The Bottom Line: Delicious facts about pears!
The Full Story:
- Pears are one of the few fruits that have an extensive history, reaching back to about 1000 B.C.
- Pears are a part of the rose family.
- A medium pear has about 100 calories.
- There are over 3000 varieties of pears worldwide.
- The majority of pears sold in the United States are grown on the west coast, mainly Oregon and Washington.
- The United States is one of the largest producers of pears in the world.
- Although pears mature on the tree, they ripen best off the tree.
- Every United States pear is picked by hand.
- Pears used to be called “butter fruit” for its soft, butter-like texture.
- Pear tree wood is often times used to construct musical instruments, furniture, and other wooden décor.