Caillot Rosat (French)

Origin / History

An ancient French pear of unknown origin. Jacques Dalechamp, writing in 1586, thought it identical with the pear Nard of the Greeks, though this has not been substantiated. In early times the pear was spread generally through France under a variety of local names. Jehan de Meung, a poet born near Orleans in 1280, wrote of it, as did Gilles Menage in 1694, who said it was "a kind of pears so called because of their hardness, their whiteness and their taste of rose." It is probable that the name Cailleau, Calliot, Caillou, Caillorosar, or Caillot derives from caillou, a pebble, on account of the grit with which the fruit is filled. Bunyard notes the variety is "a very old fruit, quite possibly the 'Cailleau' mentioned in the 'Roman de la Rose' of Jehan de Meung (1310)," and adds that the name Cailleau is said to be derived from either (a) the stony concretions of the fruit, or (b) the quail-like spottings of the fruit. Bunyard emphasizes that this is the Caillot Rosat of France, and that the English variety bearing the name is quite distinct.

Tree

Growth very strong and vigorous; fertility great (Bunyard). Leaf oval, nearly flat, coarsely shallow serrate (Bunyard).

Fruit

Size: Medium. Bunyard gives small to medium, 2¼ by 2 inches.

Form: Sources describe the form variously. Downing: roundish. Thomas: roundish. Bunyard: flattened round, quite apple-like, even. Hedrick: globular-oblate.

Stem: Long and woody, set in a deep and uneven cavity (Bunyard).

Cavity: Deep and uneven (Bunyard).

Calyx / Eye: Open, in a shallow basin (Bunyard).

Basin: Shallow (Bunyard).

Skin: A little rough (Bunyard). Sources describe the color with some variation:

• Downing: faint yellow, with a red russet cheek.
• Bunyard: pale yellow, nearly covered with a strong red flush and large conspicuous dots.
• Hedrick: yellowish, with stains of fawn-russet, washed with tender rose on the side of the sun and streaked with the same color around the stem.
• Thomas: yellowish.

Flesh / Flavor:

• Downing: white, coarse.
• Bunyard: white, crisp, juicy and sweet, always rather gritty.
• Hedrick: white, scented, a little coarse, semi-melting, always gritty around the core; juice sufficient, sugary, acid, musky.
• Thomas: of poor quality.
• Downing further notes the fruit is "not eatable."

Core / Seeds: Not described in source beyond the repeated note that the flesh is gritty around the core (Hedrick), with stony concretions in the fruit (Bunyard).

Season

Sources broadly agree on a late summer / early autumn season, with some variation:

• Downing: last of August.
• Thomas: late August.
• Bunyard: August (dessert).
• Hedrick: September; rated "second" in quality.

Uses

Dessert (Bunyard). Downing states the fruit is not eatable at its season; Thomas calls it of poor quality; Hedrick rates it "second."

Subtypes / Variants

Bunyard distinguishes the French Caillot Rosat described above from a separate English variety bearing the same name, which he describes in a companion entry as "English Caillot Rosat" (also called King's Pear): dessert, August, medium, obtusely pyriform, even; skin a little rough; color yellowish green, sprinkled with russet spots on the shaded sides, dark brownish red interspersed with some grey specks on the sunny side; flesh yellowish white, juicy, rich, aromatic; eye open in a shallow basin; stem long, woody, in a shallow cavity; growth vigorous, makes a good standard; fertility good; leaf medium, oval, finely and sharply serrate. Bunyard notes he was "unable to find the origin of this fruit, and many varieties bear this name," giving Thompson's description from the Gardener's Assistant for want of good specimens. Bunyard is explicit that the English variety is quite distinct from the French Caillot Rosat.

Other

Not described in source.