EIGHT MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Sunday, December 8, 1957
O
Peas -Faction Is Product That Belongs Soley to Rogue Valley
, - i fl? .... i
A,jb J J
CUTTING MACHINE This special machine
had to be made by Severson's candy company
of Medford when it became necessary to
mass-produce Pear-fection, a candy developed
lour years ago by the firm. The machine,
operated here by Mabel Groves, cuts the
candy automatically and it falls into the
try shown above. Later the candy undergoes
a second curing period before being pack
aged. The company has been in business in
Medford for 10 years and celebrated the oc
casion Saturday.
FINISHED PRODUCT Shown above is a
two-pound box of Pear-fection which is manu
factured from Rogue River valley pears by
Severson's candy company at 132 West Main
sL, Medford. The company has been making
fje product for about four years after spend
ing several years developing a recipe that
would retain the delicate pear flavor. The
boxes, as well as packages for other candies
made by the firm, were designed by Mrs.
Henry Severson.
By BOB VROMAN
Mail Tribune Staff Writer
Economists here have long re
alized the importance of bring
ing outside money into the
Rogue River valley. The ideal
way to do this is to utilize raw
materials available here to man
ufacture a product that could be
sold outside of southern Oregon.
One such product, that be
longs uniquely to the Rogue Riv
er valley, is Pear-fection, a can
dy developed about four years
ago by Henry and Kenneth Se
verson. father and son, who op
erate Severson's 'candy shop in
Medford.
Pear-fection has been sold in
every allied country in the world
as well as every state in the
U.S., according to the Seversons,
and orders are increasing every
year.
The Seversons and their crew
of candy makers are busy 10
months out of the year making
the tasty confection, and in the
process use more than 400 lugs
of Rogue valley pears and three
tons of locally-grown walnuts
annually. According to Henry, it
is the only product manufactur
ed here that makes use of pears.
Developing a candy recipe
that retained the delicate flavor
of the pears was no easy job
and Kenneth and his father
worked at it off and on for sev
eral years before perfecting it.
Only fresh pears can be used
in the candy . and in order to
keep production on a year
around basis they had to find a
pear that had both flavor and
keeping quality. The D'Anjou
was finally decided upon because
of both of these factors.
When they finally hit upon
just the right ingredients the
Seversons began turning out
small quantities of the candy to
sell in their two retail outlets
in Medford. It became so popu
lar that they had to expand their
facilities to keep up with the
demand. With a little advertis
ing in a west coast magazine
the orders began to pour in and
the Seversons were really in
business.
They now had to figure out a
way to mass produce the candy
and it was necessary to build a
special set of trays and storing
racks and. a machine to cut the
candy into squares. They put on
extra help to operate the ma
chines, cut pears and to pack the
candy into its attractive con
tainers. Pear-fection is not an overly
sweet candy and it depends en
tirely on the pears for its fla
vor. No artificial flavoring or
preservatives are used in its
manufacture, according to the
Seversons.
The candy is packed in one
half, one and two pound boxes,
which sell for 85 cents, $1.50
and S3 respectively. For the last
four years Severson's have been
packaging quantities of Pear
fection for Bear Creek orchards
and Pinnacle Packing Co., who
include it in their fancy gift
boxes.
Seversons also make a com
plete line of other candies such
as chocolate creams, divinity,
fudge and toffy, but as good as
they are, none of these have
gained the popularity that the
delightfully - flavored Pear-fection
has.
In additon to Henry, Kenneth
and Mrs. Severson, who waits
on customers at their main store
at 132 West Main street, the
candy making crew consists of
four to eight women throughout
LlOUiNG AH APPLIANCE?
- Do It h EASY Way!
The easiest way is the safest way, toe, when
you Call DAVISf Because skilled Davis Movers
have the "know-how" and equipment to move
your expensive appliances safely. Davis can
also quickly crate any appliance for shipment
costs less than you'd expect' too.
SHIPPING A TELEVISION SET?
I DAVIS 1
Don't take chances ... Call DAVIS and relax.
You'll know that your set will be properly
packed and handled ... arrive safely. If you're
shipping a TV this Christmas ... Call Davis
... The Cost is Small . . the Service BIG!
FOR THE BEST MOVE OF YOUR
LIFE . . . CALL DAVIS TRANSFER!
DAVIS
J4dferl-13 South Pir
Ashland-240 4th St.
TRANSFER AND
STORAGE CO.
Crating & Packing
Phone SP 2-6273
Phone MU 2-8552
I At IMF AGKIT FOR MEDFORD AND ASHLAND
CANDY INGREDIENT Rogue River valley pears are the main
ingredient in Pear-fection, a candy developed about four years
ago by Henry and Kenneth Severson, father and son, who operate
Severson's candy shop in Medford. Fresh pear pulp makes up
about 45 per cent of the volume of the candy. Above, Henry is
shown halving the pears that will be cored and peeled before
being cooked with sugar in a big copper candy kettle. D'Anjou
pears are used because of their flavor and keeping quality.
p-i? v
I vmiticciPI D'S
COUPLET!
WITH
Mewly Styled
Hand Type
Microphone
WEISFIELD'S LOW EASY TERMS
Full Fidelity Recording Heod
Duel Track Recording
Three Speed Easy Control Operation
Professional Type Editing Key
Wide Range Full Tone Speaker
Basily Read Numerical Type Tape Counter
POUR CANDY Above, Henry
Severson. right, and his son,
Kenneth, pour a batch of Pear
fection into a tray after cooking,
where it will cure for a period of
24 hours before being sugared
and cut into small pieces by a
special machine. .
the year. The candy concern is
celebrating its 10th anniversary
this week but only in the last
four years, since they have been
marketing Pear-fection, have
they done something more for
this area than to supply its citi
zens with candy. Now they are
not only providing a payroll for
their employees but tljey are al
so making a market for more
local farm produce.
Although their business is
small compared to some, enough
such small enterprises would
serve the same purpose as a big
industry without the towering
smokestacks.
Soles - Rental!
Folding
WHEEL
CHAIRS
Open Sundays and Holidays
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
HUDSON'S PHARMACY
613 E MAIN PH. SP 3-5345
1 Block East of Hawthorne Park
( WliD) fr "uaiity
WASHABLE BARKCLOTH MULTI-USg
FRINGED THROWS
--IJUJ ' "' l""""fwft'
I
So omtical because
you'll use them so often1. 3.99
Heavy textured fabric
Luxurious fringe on all 4 sides
Round corners for neat appearance
Easy to put on Easy to take off quickly
Colors . . Red, Green, Gold Gray
60"x72"
Ideal for chairs
5.99
72"xl08"
Ideal for sofas
seDsnuD
AUTO JUT (OVH
L
rtCNIC TNIOMT
un ruu covu
OPEN MONDAY NIGHTS 'TIL 9 P.M.
L
Appliances - The
Gifts that say . . .
All through
the Year!
"5) " WESTINGHOUSE 'JJ
MOW .fil AUTOMATIC
ONLY Lw WASHER
I VII I J) ' A Fully outomaHc.. I
- J 1 I F " builds in. I
owl aifijg5i& L I
! bfm
1
Famous We stinghoust Revolving
Agitator washes cleaner,
rinses better, cleans itself
Lifts, turns, plunges clothes
50 times a minute. Washes
each piece equally well all
the time. All sand, soil, lint
and scum go down the drain,
never back through clothes.
MATCHING WESTINGHOUSE
ELECTRIC DRYER
NOW $
ONLY
Reduced from 1179.95
149"
Faster, thriftier, fluffier drying
Deluxe model. Saves current.
Exclusive system of direct air flow
blows fresh air straight onto clothes
Plugs in anywhere, on regular
current too. .
"s!! ""iWestinohouse
iniiSlrj)
214 West Main Street
vrarrAvni q a rflffi c ff- icy
o EASY TERMS o
Phone SP 3-6241
AND
THE
BIG Y APPL
B Mi E
BE PL
In the Big Y Shopping Center
Phone SP 3-3052
o
122 East Main Street Phone SP 3-5348
OPEN MONDAY UNTIL 9 P.M.