Daughter of the Emperor of Austria of the Holy Roman Empire, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and for this reason Empress of the French from 1810 to 1814, reigning Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, Marie Louise of Austria from an early age she received an education in anticipation of the high positions she would be destined for: she spoke French, English, Spanish, Italian, Czech, a little Hungarian and had some rudiments of Turkish. Obviously her cultural background also included Latin and Greek and she had knowledge of logic, history, geography, statistics and law. A pianist and painter appreciated well beyond the spheres of her Kingdom, But she had a weak side: she was greedy for the Nobile Pear, a historic fruit characterized by a hard, firm and grainy pulp, to the point that, when freshly picked, it is even too crunchy to be eaten raw. In the kitchen, however, the Noble Pear best expresses its personality and its flavor when cooked in wine for refined preparations or boiled, sometimes together with chestnuts, or when it is transformed into mustard, as an accompaniment to meats and cheeses, as well as being an ingredient in the filling of tortel dols. And it is easy to understand then that the Duchess always wanted the noble pear on her table and even promoted its cultivation to always have some in stock.
When the noble pear from the Duchy of Parma left for the most prestigious noble tables in Europe, from Vienna to Paris
E From the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, carts began to depart carrying the noble pears of Parma to the most prestigious noble tables in Europe, from Vienna to Paris. Long journeys, which this type of pear was able to withstand thanks to its exceptional shelf life. “Even today,” explains Mauro Carboni of the Slow Food Presidium, “the fruits are kept outside the refrigerator from the time of harvest (in October) until spring. But all this has not been enough to ensure their survival: the area where pear trees once grew – which adapt perfectly both to the plains and to the slopes of the Apennines up to a thousand meters above sea level – has changed appearance. The spread of monocultures at low altitudes and the depopulation and unmanaged reforestation of the mountains have brought the noble pear to the brink of extinction.”
The first historical evidence can be found in the frescoes of the castles built by the leader Pier Maria Rossi, dating back to around the mid-fifteenth century.
And the inclement passing of time has struck this noble fruit to the point that it was thought to have disappeared despite its historical past which dates back even further in time than the pleasures of the Duchess of Parma. The first historical evidence can in fact be found in the frescoes of the castles built by the leader Pier Maria Rossi, dating back to around the mid-fifteenth century., in which the noble pear appears represented in its unmistakable shape. The first bibliographical evidence, however, dates back to the eighteenth century., contained in an anonymous manuscript from Parma in which the noble pear is described as a “oblong, slightly yellow, slightly rosy fruit, with thin skin and a delicate flavour.”
An extraordinary recovery that starts from an old pear tree that seemed dry, ready to be cut down
In short, it is hard to believe that the Pera Nobile could have fallen into oblivion. Then the incredible happens, as told by a farmer from Parma: «Eight years ago, together with my partner, I created a farm in the Parma Apennines – Matteo Ghillani recalls – restoring some lands that had been uncultivated for years, now almost returned to woodland, we came across an old noble pear tree: it looked dry, ready to be cut down – Ghillani continues –. At the suggestion of the elders of the village, we decided to preserve it instead: we pruned it and, without needing much care, it recovered and the following year it returned vigorous and productive. There is a lot of talk about regeneration and biodiversity – says the producer – seeing the behavior of that plant and its ability to resist abandonment, we immediately understood that that very rustic cultivar deserved to be defended and safeguarded. We started studying and ended up falling in love with the history of the noble pear, so we started the orchard and propagated the plant». Today Matteo and Simona have 300 pear trees, but «adding the other producers, the number exceeds a thousand specimens. The noble pear is a plant that, as it ages, tends to increase its production: with our 300 young plants we have obtained 5 quintals of fruit, but over time they should be able to ensure about 20 kg each».
In the meantime, the Pera Nobile has fortunately entered the list of Slow Food presidia, four producers have joined the Presidium, demonstrating the commitment of a community in promoting a product that has always maintained a strong link with the territory and traditional cuisine, and Matteo Ghillani is the contact person
Delicious and nutritious, it is also a source of fibre, vitamins and essential minerals.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to trace the origins of this variety; given the characteristics of the plant and those of the fruit - medium-small size, thin yellow-green skin with some red-pink shades, weight around 80 grams and conical shape, wide and rounded at the base and gradually thinner as it approaches the stalk - it seems probable, however, that it originates from Emilia.
In addition to being delicious and nutritious, it is also a source of fibre, vitamins and essential minerals. The fiber in the pulp supports a healthy digestive system and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. It is also a good source of vitamin C, which is important for supporting the immune system and aiding in the absorption of iron. It also contains B vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
In addition to the Tortel dols, a typical Parma dish, and the Nobile di Parma, mustard or spicy sauce, the noble pear in the mountain areas of Reggio Emilia is cut into pieces to prepare savurett, a pear compote obtained after prolonged cooking. But it can also be used excellently to prepare ricotta and pear cake, pear and mascarpone glasses. Moving on to savory dishes, it is excellent in crostini with walnuts, ricotta and pears, in risotto with pears and walnuts, or in pork fillet with pears.
