Autumn: the season of wild and cultivated pears, as of many other coloured fruits.

Here you can see some examples, before somebody starts taking about “foliage”. Indeed, this word of American origin puts a little violence on us during this season, when used as an advertisement for hikes having the autumn colours as a theme. In addition, others also use a French pronunciation, for this word, not existing in French language.

Let’s return to the colour of fruits. And to pear domestication. By the way, have you ever noticed around these huge wild pear trees with very small fruits? In past times, also these fruits were used, together with sorbs any many other fruits; in fact, nothing was thrown away: over-ripe, when some of their astringency was lost, or dried, then consumed in different ways. As a matter of fact, it is well documented that dried fruits were not considered as snacks, are they are now, but a nutritional food, used in several preparations, mixed to flours, as in gruels or cooked doughs.

In addition, also sorbs, some pictures of which are in this page, apples and many other fruits were used in s the same way as wild and cultivated pears.

Wild and cultivated pears. Filippo D’Antuono. piudimille.com. All rights reserved.