Seasons/Availability
The peak season for fresh Apricots is May to September. Check for availability.
Current Facts
They say only a mere five percent of the population of the United States has had the opportunity to taste a perfect, really fresh, ripe apricot. Those who have will never forget it.
Description/Taste
Resembling a small peach, the soft velvety skin of the almighty apricot varies in color from pale yellow to deep orange with a hint of a pretty pink blush. The white to orange succulent pulp has a sharper flavor than the peach and offers a honey-sweet, slightly tangy juice.
Nutritional Value
Rich in vitamin A, apricots are a good source of potassium and magnesium, two minerals that give the body endurance, energy and stamina. Apricots contain iron, important for blood building and silicon, necessary for beautiful skin and hair. Apricots are rich in beta carotene and are an excellent source of carontenoids which may help to prevent cancer. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found that nine or ten servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Apricots can be eaten simply out of hand, raw or dried but taste their very best served at room temperature. Apricots are especially superb glazed with light sugar syrup. Serve as compote. Pureed cooked fruit deliciously flavors ice cream, sorbet, soufflés or sauces. Apricot jam makes a luscious topping for muffins, biscuits or croissants. Apricots are a perfect accompaniment for lamb entrées and marry well with duck or chicken dishes. For apricot desserts, this fruit usually requires gentle poaching in sugar syrup to prevent the apricots from turning brown. To store, keep fruit at room temperature for only a few days or refrigerate for longer storage. Chilling deprives some of this fruit's juiciness.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Iraq, apricots are traditionally served with lamb. To end a period of fasting, a drink made from apricots is commonly consumed in this country. "Kamraddin" is a popular regional specialty, a type of apricot leather. The Latin word "praecox", meaning precocious, is said to have given the apricot its name. It is thought to have gotten this name because the apricot tree blooms and grows its fruit in early spring. A Persian poet referred to apricots as being "the seeds of the sun". The apricot's bitter kernel, removed from the apricot seed, was used by the Chinese in medicines for treating respiratory ailments. A small flat nut, the kernel has a distinct apricot aroma and a bitter flavor. Raw kernels are toxic and must be treated before being consumed. In China, kernels are boiled briefly in water, then dried in a warm oven at least twenty minutes to make them safe for consumption. Apricot kernels are used as an ingredient in some Chinese vegetarian dishes and desserts. Ground kernels mixed with hot water make a strong-tasting soup.
Geography/History
It is thought the Chinese were the first to cultivate apricots before 2000 B.C. Silk dealers are credited with taking this fruit westward. The apricot possibly reached Persia by the first century B.C. and later introduced into Rome and Greece. The Greeks thought the fruit was a native to Armenia and named it "Armenian apple", the reason for the apricot's botanical name, Pranus armeniaca. Ancient Romans called it "praecocium", meaning precocious because of its early spring arrival that influenced the fruit to be named "apricot". Trade routes made it possible for apricots to make their delicious way to America. Today these very tasty tender fruits are grown in California and Washington State. A favorite of fruit lovers everywhere, apricots are now grown worldwide.
Featured Recipes
Recipes that include Apricots. One
is easiest, three is harder.
