November 12, 2012

La France/ラフランス

This variety of pear, called Claude Blanchet in France after the person who found it in 1864, is called La France in Japan. La France is a popular variety, together with Le Lectier, which also originates in France.
フランスでは、1864年に発見した人にちなんでClaude Blanchetと呼ばれるこの洋梨は、日本ではラフランスと呼ばれています。ラフランスは、ルレクチエ(こちらも原産はフランス)とともに、日本では人気のある洋梨の品種です。 

Compare this variety with a Japanese variety of pear, Niitaka.
この品種を日本の梨の品種、新高と比べて見て下さい。

5 comments:

  1. Very interesting! From what I read on French internet, this pear is more known in Japan than in France ;-) I have never seen it on French markets (and I do pay attention to pear and apple varieties), so it must be rare. I hope I can get somewhere the Japanese pear... It was often sold a couple of years ago and somehow I missed it. Now I don't see it anywhere.

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  2. It's sad that both varieties are now hardly produced in France.

    Le Lectier,
    http://hiro-shio.blogspot.jp/2008/12/more-enoki-and-bigger.html
    See the last two photos
    is also very good!

    The people of Niigata are lucky because in Japan, le Lectier is produced almost entirely in Niigata.

    Japanese varieties of pear are completely different in texture. I hope you try some some day.

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  3. I found a report on le Lectier:
    http://local-restaurant.jp/column/episode05/column_r1.html

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  4. Do you prefer the western pears or the Asian varieties? Personally I don't particularly like most varieties of pear that are commonly on the market in Canada (Bartlett pears usually) but I do love the crisp, watery Asian pears.

    I do love pears baked in pastries even though I'm not fond of any of the non-Asian pear varieties as a raw fruit. What is your preferred method of preparation for pears?

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  5. Joanna: I prefer Japanese pears, particularly, Niitaka. I do love Western pears occasionally, though.

    I can't answer your second question because I'm not much of a pastry maker, but a pear tart is the first pastry that comes to mind.

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