Cookin' vs Eatin'

  Back when I was a kid, I can remember that just about every yard had a couple of pear trees growing in them.  Some yards were equipped with "cookin' pears" or "sand pears" but all had eatin' pears!  We did not get to visit folks often but I also recall that not one tree owner ever fussed at kids if we "sampled" a pear from their thickly laden tree. Those eatin' pears were just too sweet and juicy to pass with out tasting!  What happened?

  About five years ago, Mark was away at work when my birthday rolled around.  He called my brother and asked him to get me two pear trees. Mark knows that I hate the usual knick-knacky type gifts and love to get things that are useful.  Pear trees are quite useful.  Anyway, my brother did what was requested of him.  He delivered two fine specimens of pear trees that he purchased at a local nursery.  When we were inspecting the trees, he told me that he made sure to ask the saleslady for eatin' pears and not cookin' pears.  My brother said that Mark had specified that.  He pointed at the tag dangling from the spindly limb so I could see for myself.  Yep, it clearly stated that these two trees were Bartlett Pears.  Yes!  I could almost taste the sweetness!

  Well, five years down the line and I promise you these do not look too much like eatin' pears to me.  They are hard, rough-skinned and the texture of the flesh is sort of gritty.  The are not like the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth pears from my childhood.  I am assuming that the trees were mistagged with they were just saplings.  These are NOT Bartlett Pears...why, these are not even eatin' pears if you ask me.  I will give the trees a few more weeks to see if the pears soften but I have my doubts.  I think these are some of those cookin' pears and that is just what I will do with them.  Then I will start searching for some good ole, eatin' pears to add to the garden.