There’s a reason why many folks have been gifting them for decades—pears are healthy, simple to eat (no prep work needed!), and can certainly alleviate some holiday stress. Learn how to pack and ship pears yourself following the expert guidance below. Or you can order pear gift boxes online from companies like:
Sincerely Fresh from Stemilt The Fruit Company Harry and David McCarthy Family Farm
After you have your pear gift in order and ready to ship, learn how to tell when the fruit is ripe and how you can bake with them (ripe or not).
Pears’ Symbolism in Gift-Giving
Before we get into the nuts and bolts of shipping, let’s figure out why pears are such popular gifts. “In ancient China, people believed that pears represented immortality and prosperity because pear trees live for a long time. In Korea, the pear symbolizes grace and nobility, and the pear tree is a symbol of comfort,” says Neil Ferguson, creative marketing manager for the Pear Bureau Northwest. “Sending someone pears this holiday season can be a simple—yet very meaningful—gift, and it’s a great way to support U.S. farmers.”
How to Ship Pears
“Pears are a gentle fruit that can be difficult to ship because they yield under pressure as they begin to ripen,” explains Rhea Ortiz, account manager at The Fruit Company of Hood River, Oregon. At The Fruit Company, each pear is personally handled and placed within a padded fruit sleeve for protection. High-grade cardboard boxes prepared with soft-grade craft pads and excelsior add extra padding and protection to the pear. To mimic this expert-approved shipping method, consider the following advice.
Ship in ventilated packaging
A pear in transit is still an active traveler. “During shipment, pears give off ethylene gases which speed up the ripening process,” Ortiz adds. To ensure that your pears arrive perfectly, make sure they’re shipped in ventilated packaging to control their ripening. In warmer months (or climates), she recommends expedited shipping, but two-day ground is fine if the pears won’t be in extreme heat.
Attach a gift tag with twine
To add some festive flare—and protection—to your pears, attach twine and gift notes to the stems with well-wishes or fun sayings. Then wrap each individual pear in fun paper or even edible gold leaf before packaging. Enclose a soft homemade craft, a tea towel, or another cushiony object with your pears (a cloth face mask or beanie, perhaps) to add even more padding and spruce to your gift.
Secure the fruit with padding
Keeping the pears secure and unable to move is also essential to the packing process. “Most importantly, be sure the fruit can’t move inside the box, as the individual pieces of fruit bumping into each other can cause a lot of bruising and other damage. Stems can be sharp, too,” says Adam McCarthy, USA Pears Grower and farm manager at McCarthy Family Farm in Mount Hood, Oregon. Use tissue paper or individual compartments to keep the pears from nudging into each other.
How to Know When a Pear Is Ripe
How do you know when your perfectly shipped pear is ripe? Check the neck, suggest McCarthy. “To do this, apply gentle pressure near the stem end with your thumb. If it gives into pressure, it is ripe and ready to eat—but don’t press too hard,” McCarthy says. He recommends letting pears ripen on the counter at room temperature for several days until they reach your desired softness.
Pear Recipe Ideas
“There are a lot of ways to enjoy a delicious winter pear. From those that still have a little crunch and tartness to pears that are entirely ripe, so juicy and sweet that they melt in your mouth. A little practice ‘checking the neck’ and you will be able to enjoy your pears just the way you prefer,” says McCarthy. Beyond biting into or slicing up a pear, they can also be used for appetizers, like pears with blue cheese and prosciutto or pears with rosemary sugar. Pears also pair well with poultry and pork and can be cooked in savory dishes, like peanut noodles with chicken and pears or sautéed chicken with sweet potatoes and pears. Those who have allowed their pears to ripen a little past their prime can also use them in desserts, like gingersnap-pear cheesecake, pressed-crust pear tart, or brown butter vanilla pear pie.
