I’ve discovered the Forelle pear, a tiny little package of sweetness about half the size of the standardly available grocery store Bartlett pear.

The Forelles’ rosy color and perfect ripeness (they even smelled sweet) at the grocery store made for an easy choice over the other varieties, rock hard and unripe in comparison.

One food review described its speckles as “trout-like”–exactly!

Choosing winter fruits can often be difficult in New Hampshire, and everything right now has come from far, far away. It’s safe to guess that my Forelles came from California.

Homer called the pear “the gift of the Gods.” Buying unripe winter pears and hoping that they’ll ripen perfectly at home can sometimes lead to other than gift-like results. It seems to work out best when they show a glimmer of hope right there in the produce section, as these did. My little bag of Forelle pears felt like a gift, indeed.

This is not a sloppily juicy pear and is best eaten when still firm. It has a buttery texture and a very slight cinnamon flavor; it would probably pair nicely with cheese. Its tiny size makes it just right for an afternoon snack.

No fancy recipe needed today. This little pear asked only to be sliced and eaten.

Two and a half inches of perfection.