Medieval Fruit Varieties
Variety: Bon Chretien d'Hiver (1495)
Image - USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Synonyms: A Tetine, Bon Chretien, Bon Chretien d'Angoisse, Bon Chretien d'Auch, Bon Chretien d'Hiver, Bon Chretien de Constantinople, Bon Chretien de Tours, Bon Chretien de Vernon, Crustemenie, De Chretien, De Dos, De Fesses, De Bon Crustemenien, De Saint Martin, Good Christian of Winter, Panchresta, Poire d'Angoise, Poire d'Apothecarie, Winter Bon Chretien, Winter Good Christian
Notes:
Bon Chretien d'Hyver, or Good Christian of Winter. This is a very large pear, of the form of a truncated pyramid - the blossom end is much swelled, the eye deeply sunk in a furowed cavity, which forms angular ridges extending themselves t the body of the pear; the end towards the stalk is much diminished, without being pointed; it terminates obliquely: the stalk is about an inch long,and fleshy - this pear is sometimes six inches in length and four in width; the skin is a finely grained clear yellow, approaching to green on the shady side, with a bright red towards the sun - the flesh is fine and tender, though breaking, very juicy, mild and sugary; sometimes odoriferous and vinous - it is ripe in January and lasts till Spring; the leaves are of moderate size, the foot stalks of great length. -- W. Coxe, A view of the cultivation of fruit trees, 1817.