Poire de Livre is an ancient culinary pear from northern France. It is thought to have been in use since the early 17th century, and is so-named because of of its large fruits, which can weigh as much as one "livre" (pound in English).
The pears are picked in mid-October and have a dense hard flesh which is not palatable for eating fresh. They are normally peeled and then slowly poached or stewed. The pears can also be kept for several months in a fridge.
Poire de Livre is a good choice if you are looking for pears that can be used for traditional cookery.
Next deliveries: January - February 2025
Let me know when Poire de Livre pear trees are back in stock.
If you do not hear from us by March you can contact us to pre-order for next autumn.
Poire de Livre flowers quite late in the pear blossom season, and it is likely the blossom is not compatible with other pears. The tree is reliable, generally free of disease, and bears regularly.
While you can gently cook dessert pears, their sweet soft flesh can become simply bland in the kitchen. If you want to really cook with pears you need to use dedicated culinary varieties. These typically have very hard dense flesh, with strong but not particularly palatable flavours when eaten raw. The application of heat - typically by baking, poaching, or stewing - transforms and brings out their flavours.
