Block Change Request: Pears

Azulejo

Bloodmage
Staff member
Request: Pears

Request Type:
General Addition

Try to describe all workarounds and associated issues that make it necessary to add this block in your eyes.
Pears seem like a logical addition to our blocks. They were quite common and a staple in Medieval Europe. They would also widen the fruit crops that the northern regions could grow, specially the Riverlands and the southern areas of The North, where most of our current fruit trees would not grow, or at least thrive.

There are many varieties of pears with different sizes and shapes. To differenciate them from apples I would advise to make the texture with the classic pear shape and in green or green/brown, though we can have it with a colour gradient from green to read, yellow or many others. As with other fruits, this would be followed by the usual baskets and crate.

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Types of evidence to support your request: Historical, Canon

Historical Evidence
Pears are a common fruit in areas with cool and mild temperatures and climates. Originating probably somewhere between China and the Caucasus, just like their cousins the apples, they extended their range thorugh human cultivation very early on. That's why we currently have several wild pear species all over the Old World. They're one of the staple fruit trees in the temperate areas of Europe since Antiquity.

Canonical Evidence
We have several quotes that mention pears in the books, both in Essos and in Westeros.
  • AGOT Daenerys IV: "I have sweet reds, from Lys and Volantis and the Arbor. Whites from Lys, Tyroshi pear brandy, firewine, pepperwine, the pale green nectars of Myr. Smokeberry browns and Andalish sours, I have them, I have them."
  • ACOK Bran III: "There was black bread and honeycakes and oaten biscuits; there were turnips and pease and beets, beans and squash and huge red onions; there were baked apples and berry tarts and pears poached in strongwine. Wheels of white cheese were set at every table, above and below the salt, and flagons of hot spice wine and chilled autumn ale were passed up and down the tables."
This quote takes place in White Harbor, so there might be pear orchards in the area. The southernost tip of the North might be able to sustain the growth of pears. I just quoted mentions of pears in Westeros, since those are more relevant to us currently than the Essosi.
  • ACOK Catelyn II: "Of food there was plenty. The war had not touched the fabled bounty of Highgarden. While singers sang and tumblers tumbled, they began with pears poached in wine, and went on to tiny savory fish rolled in salt and cooked crisp, and capons stuffed with onions and mushrooms."
  • ACOK Arya X: "changed the linens and fluffed the featherbed, emptied the chamber pots down the privy shaft and scrubbed them out, carried an armload of soiled clothing to the washerwomen, and brought up a bowl of crisp autumn pears from the kitchen"
  • ASOS Sansa IV: "In the Queen's Ballroom they broke their fast on honeycakes baked with blackberries and nuts, gammon steaks, bacon, fingerfish crisped in breadcrumbs, autumn pears, and a Dornish dish of onions, cheese, and chopped eggs cooked up with fiery peppers."
  • ASOS Sansa VI: "Grisel reappeared before he could say more, balancing a large platter. She set it down between them. There were apples and pears and pomegranates, some sad-looking grapes, a huge blood orange."
  • ASOS Sansa VI: ""Thank you, my lord." Pomegranate seeds were so messy; Sansa chose a pear instead, and took a small delicate bite. It was very ripe. The juice ran down her chin."
  • ASOS Sansa VI: "Sansa stood by the foot of the bed while her aunt ate a pear and studied her. "I see it now," the Lady Lysa said, as she set the core aside. "You look so much like Catelyn.""
  • AFFC Jaime III: ""I want none of Ser Gregor's followers," he declared as he was cutting up a pear as withered as he was, so as to make certain that its nonexistent juice did not stain his pristine purple doublet, embroidered with the white bend cotised of his House."
  • AFFC Jaime III: "And you have no more nose than my little brother, or my own sins would have you choking on that pear. "
  • ADWD Jon IV: "Elsewhere were casks of apples and pears, dried peas, dried figs, bags of walnuts, bags of chestnuts, bags of almonds, planks of dry smoked salmon, clay jars packed with olives in oil and sealed with wax."
  • TSS: "She has half a dozen orchards, apples and apricots and three kinds of pears. There are some more mentions to pears in TSS.