Williams Pears From French Tradition to the Pearisian Cocktail
SUZETTE CAFÉ & BISTRO
At Suzette, we love the little connections between French food and drink and the ingredients we know here in California. Williams pears are a perfect example. You might recognize the name from a French spirit bottle, but you probably know the fruit by another name: Bartlett. They’re the same variety, with a story that travels from the orchard to the cocktail glass.
One pear with two names
The variety originated in England and became known as Williams after a nurseryman who helped introduce it more widely. After the trees reached Massachusetts, Enoch Bartlett began distributing the fruit under his own name, unaware it already had one. By the time the connection was recognized in 1828, Bartlett had stuck.
So a Williams pear isn’t an unfamiliar French fruit. It’s the aromatic, juicy pear many Americans already love fresh, in preserves, or in a favorite dessert.
Why French distillers love Williams pears
The appeal begins with aroma. Williams pears have a pronounced, unmistakably pear fragrance, making them a natural choice for distillers who want the fruit’s character to come through in the glass.
In France, particularly in Alsace, fruit spirits are part of an established distilling tradition. Poire Williams is a pear eau-de-vie: a spirit made by fermenting pears and then distilling them. The goal is to capture the fragrance and flavor of ripe fruit. Served as a digestif after a meal, it gives pear a place at the table well beyond dessert.
That combination of expressive fruit, regional craftsmanship, and an after-dinner ritual helps explain its lasting appeal. Williams pears also appear in French liqueurs, where sweetness creates a different way to enjoy the fruit.
A French connection close to home
That French tradition has a personal connection for us at Suzette. Our co-owner Olivier grew up making cider and eau-de-vie with his grandfather in France. Today, he and Susannah also own Alamere Spirits, a craft distillery here in Marin County.
Alamere’s Williams Pear Vodka brings that inspiration into its own process. The pears are peeled and cored, then macerated and distilled at different stages of ripeness, from unripe to perfectly ripe and slightly overripe. That range captures the pear’s bright freshness alongside its richer, softer character. It’s a lovely starting point for the Pearisian.
Mix a Pearisian
With a name that gives a little wink to Paris, the Pearisian feels right at home in a French bistro. Pear takes the lead, with elderflower adding a floral note, lemon bringing brightness, and thyme giving it a subtle herbal finish. For a little Suzette inspiration at home, here’s how to make one.
Ingredients
1½ oz Alamere Williams Pear Vodka
1 oz pear purée
½ oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
½ oz fresh lemon juice
1 small thyme sprig
Method
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then double-strain into a chilled coupe to remove the thyme leaves and any coarse pulp. Garnish with a thin pear slice or a fresh thyme sprig, if you like.
A little French inspiration, a little Marin craftsmanship, and a reason to bring out the coupe glasses.
Sources
USA Pears — Bartlett history and characteristics
Distillerie Miclo — Poire Williams production and serving
Distillerie Massenez — Williams pear liqueur and distilling heritage
