General Information
The Seckel Pear is a small, russet-colored fruit with a sweet, spicy flavor. The Seckel’s firm flesh makes it excellent for both cooking and canning but some people find it too crisp for out-of-hand eating.
History
First cultivated by the Phoenicians and the Romans, pears became a royal delicacy for ancient Persian kings. By medieval times in Italy, there were more than 200 varieties being cultivated. By the 17th century, and inspired by Louis XIV’s passion for fruit and vegetables, the French were growing over 300 different varieties. The introduction of espaliered trees, whose fruits ripen more evenly and were not so blown about in orchards, helped promote the growing of fine pears in the Paris region. Pear breeders were particularly active in the 16th century. At its end, two manuscripts detailed the fruits that were served to the vegetarian Grand Duke Cosimo III of Florence, and listed 209 and 232 different varieties, respectively, which appeared in that region alone. In 1640, Britain had a mere sixty-four varieties; but, by 1842, this number had increased to over 700.
