Pears are a quintessential fall and winter fruit, often hearty enough to use in baked desserts and with a slight sweetness that complements a range of savory dishes. Many people can them for later, or eat them “in hand” like an apple. They can be fickle little things, though, often going from hard as a baseball to overripe in a matter of minutes (exaggeration). Once they’re too ripe, they bruise and their skin falls off, which is real horror show, and at that point they become both compost fodde