Bosc

Bosc is a distinctive winter pear of European origin, known for its long, tapering neck and warm cinnamon-brown russeted skin. It has been grown since the early 1800s and is prized as a firm, aromatic dessert and cooking pear. The dense, creamy white flesh is sweet and spicy-aromatic and stays firmer than most pears when ripe, which makes Bosc especially good for baking, poaching, and roasting because it holds its shape. The rough russeted skin also makes ripeness harder to judge by color, so growers rely on a slight softening at the neck. Bosc is self-unfruitful and needs a pollinizer such as Bartlett or Anjou. It stores well and is a leading late-season pear in commerce.