ASIAN PEAR

The Asian Pear is also called Nashi apple, Nashi pear, African pear, Japanese pear, Korean pear, Taiwan pear, sand pear, apple pear, bapple, papple, and bae li. Good quality Asian pears are selected by smell rather than variations in firmness. Unlike other pears that yield to gentle pressure when ripe, Asian pears are ripe even when they are extremely firm.

Look for a fairly strong and sweet aroma (they will not smell as strong if they are cold).

Those originating from Japan have clear yellow, brown or yellow-brown skin while those from China are clear-skinned and green-yellow.