This popular pear may be a staple in pantries across America and in Europe, but it's a rarity in Asia - despite the continent ...

There are thousands of varieties of pears across the globe ... russeted Pyrus pyrifolia (often called Asian, Korean, or Japanese pears) were first cultivated around 3,000 years ago in China ...

There are over 100 varieties of this mildly sweet and juicy ... for winter salads like the one below from Iron Chef and Asian-pear aficionado Masaharu Morimoto. --Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite ...