The autumn harvest has delivered a new discovery!
Browsing through the farmers market stalls on a recent rainy Sunday, I struck up a conversation with Dave from Beechwood Orchards. I’m a regular and we often talk fruit.
He held up a small, round, red and gold fruit and introduced me to the Reddy Robin pear. He said it was really sweet, juicy and a little crisp. I bought two and said I would report back. I wish I had brought more.
The fruit was delicious; it looks more like an apple than a pear and has a crisp texture similar to an Asian pear.
Upon researching the fruit, I found that the Reddy Robin Pear, developed in New Zealand, is a cross between Japanese and Chinese pears. In the United Kingdom, it is known as a “papple.”
Like most fresh fruits, the Reddy Robin pear offers many health benefits. It is low in calories, offers significant fiber (as much as 40% of the recommended daily value), 17% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and is as being an excellent source of potassium, vitamin K, copper, folate and magnesium.
Should you be lucky enough to find Reddy Robin pears in your market, try them in the following ways:
- Eaten whole as a tasty snack
- Sliced and served on a cheese plate
- Chopped into a fruit salad
- Tossed over a green salad with nuts, crumbled, cheese, raisins and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette
- Pureed into a smoothie
- Sliced atop a schmear of cream cheese or mascarpone on a bagel or toast drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon.
- Grated into a slaw
- Chopped over yogurt with granola
Enjoy!