The Seckel pear is a small, very sweet American pear cultivar, first found as a chance seedling near Philadelphia in the late 1700s or early 1800s; accounts of exactly who discovered and named it vary.
It is grown commercially in the United States, including the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Northeast, with a harvest season running roughly from August to October.
Its small size concentrates natural sugars, giving it an intense, almost caramelized, honey-like sweetness. It is eaten fresh, in fruit salads and tarts, or poached, baked, or grilled alongside roasted pork or duck. It pairs well with walnuts, almonds, soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese, and blue cheese salads, and is popular in preserves, jams, and chutneys.