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Apricots

For those who have dallied amid apricot trees bearing ripe fruit, it makes perfect sense that nectar was the drink of the gods. Though my Oxford English Dictionary does not associate the apricot with nectar, common usage does, and it's an association that I have never doubted.

These aromatic, sensuous, buttery fruits originated in Armenia. Their name, derived from Latin, praecoquum , means "early ripe."

The Fruit Basket provides the best plump, juicy and ripe apricots. Their malic and citric acid content give a lemony, plum-like flavor to this otherwise sweet fruit. It's a cousin to peaches, plums, almonds and cherries. The apricot's almond-like pit contains the cancer-combating vitamin B17.

For an apricot to have a good flavor, it must be fully ripe when picked; it then keeps no more than a few days. Because the Fruit Basket's apricots come directly from the grower to you, they're ripe when picked and therefore superior to fruit that changes many hands before reaching you. Since apricots are so perishable, most of the commercial crop are canned, preserved or dried and only eight percent are available fresh.

Our apricots are available during July and August. A ripe apricot yields to a light touch and is golden all over with a rosy blush. Avoid firm apricots with traces of green--they'll remain sour. Also avoid those that are overly soft, bruised, wilted or shriveled as they quickly decay. Tenderly handle apricots as they bruise easily, and bruising causes rapid spoiling.

Apricots are delicious both raw and cooked. Raw, enjoy them out of hand, or add them to: chutney, salsa, fresh fruit soup, smoothies, sorbet, ice cream, salad, yogurt dishes or use as a garnish.  

Great in pies, cakes, crumbles, quick breads, apricots also make excellent liqueurs and preserves. Their sweet but tart flavor compliments meat--traditionally pork, veal and poultry.

Substitute apricots freely for peaches, mangos and nectarines.

Unlike the skin of apples or peaches, an apricot skin is so tender that it doesn't require peeling.   Once pitted, a squeeze of lemon juice prevents the flesh from darkening.

Refrigerate apricots to prevent over ripening and plan to use as quickly as possible. Their flavor and aroma, however, are superior at room temperature.

Apricots are the best fruit source of iron. Because iron is so critical for pregnant women--as it helps assure a healthy baby--we give them free apricots.   Yes, for thirty plus years, we've taken care of pregnant women by keeping them in fresh apricots.

Today, what a great pleasure it is with the second generation of pregnant women coming in to the Fruit Basket for their golden-fleshed iron food.

In addition to being a great source of iron, apricots are an excellent source of copper and cobalt. These minerals make them medicinal for blood-related disorders such as anemia, acne, toxemia and tuberculosis.

Apricots have laxative properties. As their bright orange color indicates, they're an excellent source of beta carotene an antioxidant that may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Apricot Kernels

Apricot kernels are a good source of amygdaline. This controversial compound helps prevent cancer. It's also known as vitamin B17 and laetrile.

My mother always puts a few apricot pits into her preserves for, she said, "The flavor."   As a child, her logic was beyond my ken as apricot kernels are nastily bitter. Today, I take my hat off to mom and the perennial kitchen wisdom she still serves up. According to both Oriental Medicine and alternative medicine, these kernels are anti-carcinogenic.

In Chinese pharmacology, the pits are classified as a drug rather than as a food as they contain cyanide (hydrocyanic acid).   They're used medicinally to combat cancer, stimulate respiration, improve digestion, help reduce blood pressure and arthritic pain and give a sense of well-being.

Amygdaline is commercially available as vitamin B17 and it continues to be used in cancer clinics outside of the United States. The Food and Drug Administration, however, maintains that there is no scientifically accepted evidence of its efficacy. The amygdaline content in apricots is chemically identical to that in bitter almonds.

Mom also told us kids that we could taste an apricot kernel but never eat them as, in quantity, they could be poisonous. Of course we tasted them, but they were so bitter we spit them out. When cooked or fermented, apricot kernel toxicity is reduced.

Consumption of 10 or more wild apricot kernels for children and 40 or more for adults may cause adverse reaction, even death.  Yet, bitter almonds or apricot pits are a small but essential ingredient in authentic marzipan and amaretto.

Using a nut cracker, crack open the apricot pits and extract their inner nutmeat. Use judiciously.     

Preserving Apricots

To freeze fresh apricots, halve the fruit; remove the pits; and arrange the halves in one layer on baking sheet and freeze until frozen solid. For best results quick freeze at -10 degrees F. (Fruit frozen slowly develops large ice crystals and, when thawed, becomes overly soft and mushy.)   Pack frozen halves tightly in a plastic freezer bag. Defrost and serve--or use in a recipe--just as the ice crystals are disappearing.  

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09331.html

In order to enjoy these sun-shiny treats throughout the year, dry some apricots. You can easily accomplish this ancient technology using your home oven. Optionally, make apricot fruit leather by pureeing the ripe fruits, spreading the puree in a thin layer on a baking sheet and drying it. For complete details, see:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09309.html

Unlike the skins of many fruits, canned apricots need not be peeled and this significantly expedites your hands-on processing time. Apricot preserves are welcome for their flavor and color and for how they compliment both sweet and savory dishes.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09347.html

Sugar-Free Canning --Conventional canned fruit contains sugar. If you wish to reduce your sugar consumption, reducing the sugar measure by one-half. An added sweetener is not needed for preserving bottled fruit.   As I prefer the fruit's own sweetness and flavor to shine, I don't add any sugar. For food preservation without sugar or salt, see:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09302.html

Peaches

"S/he's a peach!" describes someone who's remarkable. Indeed, of the various fruits, the peach's fleshy juiciness--that's both sweet and yet mildly tart--makes it an outstanding treat. The Fruit Stand features tree ripened peaches from late-June through October.

The peach tree originated in China and that the emperor's royal scepter was made of peach wood bespeaks its great esteem. Indeed, the Chinese associate it with immortality and considered the peach tree--rather than apple--as the Tree of Life.

From China, peach cultivation moved along caravan routes to Persia and eventually to Europe and the Americas. Originally called Persian apples in the west, the name peach comes from the Latin word for Persian.   Unlike its near relatives--plums, cherries, apricots and nectarines--peach skin is velvety.

Buying Peaches

The Fruit Stand prides itself in providing you with tree ripened peaches. Here's why you can taste the difference between our beauties and what you buy in the store.

Our tender, ripened-on-the-tree peaches are hand plucked, placed in a box, chilled down and shipped directly to The Fruit Stand.

Whereas, store-bought peaches are picked while hard, dumped into huge bins and poured onto a processing line. They're mechanically washed, de-fuzzed, dried, and sorted by size. It takes a tough, un-ripened peach to come off the conveyer belt intact.   Unlike some fruits, an immature peach never ripens. It will eventually soften,   but it will always be short of flavor, aroma, nutrients and sweetness.

Note how the Fruit Stand's peaches have a fragrant and warm peachy aroma.   The fruit's perfume directly correlates to its ripeness. Our peaches "give" to a gentle squeeze at their shoulder (adjacent to the stem end) and, overall, have a "fresh" appearance.

Our first peaches, starting in late June, come from the Peach Capital of Colorado, Palisades. The Palisade orchards are east of Grand Junction and at the mouth of the Colorado river canyon. They nestle up against the sheer Bookcliffs which absorb the sun's heat then beam it out to protect and quicken the peaches. This yields a premium fruit. As the season progresses, our next round of ripe peaches come in from Hotchkiss and Paoina. In September and October we close out the season with some later-ripening varieties from Palasides.

There are hundreds of both red and golden colored peach varieties and even some more delicately perfumed and fragile (and, therefore, more expensive) white peaches. However, all peaches are either freestone or clingstone.

Break open a freestone peach and its flesh cleanly separates from the seed. The bulk of The Fruit Stand's peaches are these larger freestones varieties.

Whereas the clingstone (in comparison to a freestone), ripens earlier and is usually juicier, sweeter and softer-textured.   The flesh of a clingstone, as its name infers, clings tightly to the pit. Thus, as with a mango seed, licking and nibbling a clingstone pit efficiently gets all its goodness.

In recipes calling for uniform slices, use freestone peaches.   Whereas, in recipes requiring diced or pureed peaches, use which ever variety The Fruit Stand currently has on special.

By the third week of July the Red Havens are the last of the clingstones. Technically this premium peach is a semi-clingstone because when it's tree ripened its flesh falls free of the pit (whereas a commercial, and therefore immature Red Haven, clings to the pit).   All varieties that ripen after the Red Havens are freestone.

Storing Peaches

You can refrigerate a tree ripened peach for a week to ten days.   For maximum flavor and aroma, however, serve at room temperature. If a tree ripened peach is still a little firm, refrigerate it until a day or so before you need it. Then, place the fruit in a bowl and keep it at room temperature until the desired softness is achieved.   With ultra soft peaches, plan on eating or processing them today.  

Using Peaches

To preserve their integrity, wash peaches just prior to use.   Nectarines and peaches may be freely exchanged in recipes.

Peach skin, albeit a little downy, is flavorful and nutritious and its robust color enhances some dishes.   So don't bother to peel peaches for thinly sliced peach toppings and garnishes as well as for purees, peach butter, sauce, juice and other dishes.

For an elegant and irresistible appetizer, pair ripe peaches with a quality cheese, and a selection of crackers.   Add peach slices to yogurt or use to top ice cream...or better yet, turn them into peach ice cream or sorbet.   Use peaches as a garnish for salads or breakfast cereal or a filling for tarts, cobblers, strudels, empanadas or pies.   Peaches are great juiced, jammed, dried, canned or turned into jelly. Distill them into a brandy or liqueur or simply eat out of hand. There's little that beats the pleasure of a ripe peach.

Many people favor peeled peaches for pies and some other dishes. Here's how to easily peel them. Blanch several peaches at a time in boiling water for 20 seconds or until their color slightly darkens. Then plunge into cold water for a minute or until, cool enough to handle. Peel. To keep sliced peaches from discoloring, mix them with a little lemon juice or ascorbic acid.  

Health Benefits

Peaches are a sub-acid fruit high in vitamin A and low in calories. They contain fewer calories than apples or pears, and they aid in elimination.   Peaches are high in vitamins A (especially the darker-colored peaches), C and, unlike most fruits, contain calcium.

Peaches are cooling in thermal nature.   They help to build body fluids in the case of dry coughs, and to lubricate the intestines in the case of constipation.  

Freezing, Drying, Canning and Jamming Peaches

Every week The Fruit Stand offers remarkable sales on delicious fruits.   Watch for a peach special, stock up and then set some by in your larder or freezer.   It's the most economical way to--year round--enjoy regional fruit.

Freezing -Frozen peaches are a great treat that you can enjoy 12 months of the year. Use fully ripened peaches, slice, mix with a little lemon or lime juice or ascorbic acid to prevent darkening and (optionally) add a sweetener. Then bag and freeze...couldn't be easier.   See: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09331.html

Drying - Dry peaches or nectarines by the slice for undoubtedly one of the tastiest and healthiest, easy-to-pack snacks.   For details, see: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09309.html   

Or blend into a puree to make fruit leather. Details are at: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09311.html

Sugar-Free Canning -- Today's health-conscious cook prefers sugar-free preserving.   For food preservation without sugar or salt, see
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09302.html