The Fruitguys News: Chinese New Pear

Chinese New Pear - Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Posted on February 01, 2009

Gong xi fa cai (Happy New Year), FruitFans! Last week marked the first day of the Chinese (Lunar) New Year. In celebration, we'd like to welcome you to the Year of the Ox with some Chinese fruit advice:

The ancient Chinese believed that the pear was a symbol of immortality; and in Chinese the word li means both "pear" and "separation." For this reason, ancient tradition says that to avoid a separation, friends and lovers should not divide pears between themselves. What's it mean for your FruitGuys office crate? Unlike the uncomfortable man in the classic Alka-Seltzer ad from the 1970s who regretted eating the whole thing, it's okay for you to eat a whole delicious pear. A single has less than 100 calories, 5 whole grams of healthy fiber, and supplies about 33% of your RDA for potassium.

This season so far we've talked about Concorde, D'Anjou, Starkrimson, and other delectable varieties. But there's more - the "Cadillac of Pears," the elegant Comice Pear. The Comice has a rotund, bulbous body with a very short, well-defined neck and a trademark deep dimple in the bottom. The Comice is usually greenish yellow, and sometimes has a red blush. Known properly as Doyenne Du Comice, this French variety was first propagated near Angers in the mid-1800s and is now widely cultivated on the West coast of the U.S., especially in California and Oregon. You'll know the Comice is ripe when the neck yields gently under slight finger pressure and the skin lightens slightly in color. It offers a supremely smooth flavor ride on your tongue, with a buttery texture and slight lemony aftertaste. A really ripe Comice may require a napkin to catch its juicy drippings. These pears are set on permanent cruise control, destination flavor pear-adise.

So what does the Year of the Ox have in store for you, our highly valued FruitFriends? More great fruit and nutrition, more great customer service, more great education and wellness programs, and more great fun. In fact, in Chinese Zodiac tradition, the Ox is a near-mirror of our FruitGuys "5 R's" values. The Ox is Considerate, Faithful, Honest, Dedicated, and Trustworthy; The FruitGuys are Respectful, Responsive, Realistic, Responsible, and strive to be Remembered positively. As always, if there's any way we can serve you better, don't hesitate to ask. We're proud of our relationships, partnerships, and friendships with all our customers and are committed to your 100% satisfaction.