Name dropping

Autumn has arrived when the Williams pear is ready to harvest.

I ask myself, what's in a name? The naming of pears seems to be a little different from those of many other fruits, in that many are carrying a person's name. Among the pear families we have the familiar family names of Williams, Howell, Packhams. More intriguing because pears are one of the oldest-grown fruits, with records of them being grown in Italy and cultivated by the early Romans some 3000 years ago.

Of course, gardeners will tell me there is the famous Cox's Orange Pippin named after its grower, the brewer and horticulturist Richard Cox; the Granny Smith named after Mary Smith of Eastwood; and the Pink Lady is traced back to a wonderful Mrs Williams in Western Australia, but the majority of apples, quinces, peaches, nectarines and apricots have other distinguishing features in their names.

Williams Bon Chretien is the full name of this delicious early-season pear, if you come from Europe. Bartlett is the name given to it by the Americans. It has a fascinating history all of its own and it is grown more widely than any other pear in the world.

For history buffs, most development work on pear varieties was undertaken in Belgium and France during the 16th and 17th centuries, often in the grounds of monasteries. The developmental work continued into the 19th century with the emergence of the Beurre Bosc, the Beurre Hardy and the Doyenne du Comice, along with many other sweet, delicious varieties. The Doyenne du Comice was released in 1849 and became known as the king of pears because of its wonderful juiciness and sweetness. At the same time, America began its own breeding programs and produced the large, sweet Howell and the Potomac pears.

The Williams pear is the earliest main variety of fresh eating pear, and you know it is ready to eat as its skin turns from a pale green to a light golden colour. If you buy this pear and its skin is still green, then keep it refrigerated for a few days to allow the ripening process to continue.

The Williams is generally large in size and its flesh is sweet and non-gritty. You can again have the chance to enjoy biting into this sweet autumn fruit, enjoying your first new-season pear and have juice running down your cheeks. It is also fantastic for poaching and preserving.

So, back to the intriguing story of the name(s) for this delicious pear. It was first introduced into England in 1770, in Berkshire, and a nurseryman called Williams acquired the rights to propagate and distribute this through the land. So his name became synonymous with the ''new'' sweet pear of distinction. Its full name goes back further in history. ''Bon Chretien'' is translated as ''good Christian'', as it was earlier named after Francis of Paola, a holy man who served King Louis XI of France, back in 1483. Francis had brought this pear from his native Calabria and seeds were planted, so the connection was made to this good Christian in service.

But this pear has travelled the world and in so doing acquired even more names. James Carter took several trees across to the United States in 1799 and planted them in a garden at Roxbury, Massachusetts. The land was later acquired by Enoch Bartlett, who decided to take on his own naming rights and introduced the pear to the New World. When further trees were brought from England in 1828 and the variety was confirmed to be Williams, the name Bartlett had already become so well-known that the local name was continued throughout Canada and America

Where is Australia in all of this? Williams pears have been grown in Australia for more than 120 years now, and other varieties have been developed locally. In the mid-1940s, one of the pear trees in Mocks Orchard in East Burwood, Victoria, produced a wonderful red-skinned ''sport'', a mutation appearing on just one branch, giving the owner the chance to immortalise his mane forever. However, they decided to call it Sensation, and it has now become a most sought-after variety.

Roasted pear and ham salad

5 medium pears

10 slices of premium ham

black pepper

1 tbsp of thyme sprigs

1 mignonette lettuce

250g parmesan cheese

Vinaigrette

½⁄ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½⁄ cup honey

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

½⁄ cup premium vinegar

Halve and core the pears. Heat oven to 180C. Place the pears on a baking tray on non-stick baking paper, cut side up. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and the thyme sprigs. Bake for 20 minutes, until pears are soft.

Grill the slices of ham until crisp. Combine all the vinaigrette ingredients to make the dressing.

Arrange the lettuce leaves and ham with one or two baked pear halves and sprinkle on some finely grated parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.

This week in the garden

■ Plantings of field peas and snow peas can be made to boost nitrogen levels in the soil and produce an early crop.

■ Continue to plant a small selection of lettuces and Asian greens for a late autumn harvest. If you have not had time before, plant out some silver beet and spinach plants into the garden.

■ Turn again your composting materials and make sure that there is sufficient moisture, while daytime temperatures remain high.

■ Begin digging up your main potato crop but allow plants that have not yet flowered to grow on longer. Do not dig when the soil is too wet. Leave later plantings in the ground for several more weeks, until their leaves have died off. Store harvested potatoes in a well ventilated spot to make sure they become really dry then place them in a jute bag or cardboard box, in a dark, dry location.

■ Pumpkins that have matured with dying leaves can now be harvested. Leave the stems attached to the pumpkin. Initially place them in a dry, sunny location for a few days, to harden their skins. This will help extend their storage life over the winter months.

>>Loriendale will have a good selection of pears, along with its many mid-season heritage apples, on display at its annual Apple Day Festival near Hall, on the afternoon of Saturday, March 29.

>>Owen Pidgeon runs the Loriendale Organic Orchard near Hall.