Pear Shaped

For the next two days I will be talking about all things pear, Diana has very kindly paid for us to attend the historic pear conference and yesterday was the opening day. The first speaker, Joan Morgan, a very respected and knowledgeable member of the RHS trial committee, talked us through the history of Pyrus and its development into the fruit we know today. She was an interesting speaker to listen to and obviously one of the leading top fruit experts in the country, during questions afterwards she told us that the oldest living fruit tree in the world is the Endecott pear planted in Salem in 1625! Next came Dr Crispin Hayes, an eco-consultant working in Scotland, who spoke of the alliance between catholic France and Spain in the 12th century which brought the fruit growing tradition to these isles. We then broke for an excellent lunch provided by Bettys and I even managed a little Christmas shopping in the garden centre. The afternoon brought a change of pace with Peter Brears a freelance food historian who proceeded to guide us through 400 years of English pear recipes complete with home made examples, which at the end of the lecture we were invited to eat! Finally we were sent on our way with a glass of perry, everyone eager to resume conversation with new found friends tomorrow.

"Conversation has a kind of charm about it, an insinuating and insidious something that elicits secrets just like love or liquor"
Seneca