MonaVie - The Apricot
In Latin, apricot means
"precious," a label earned
because it ripens earlier
than other summer fruits. A
relative of the peach, the
apricot is smaller and has a
smooth, oval pit that falls
out easily when the fruit is
halved.
Apricots originally came
from China. This golden
fruit has been around for
more than 4,000 years.
Apricots progressively made
their way through the
Persian Empire to the
Mediterranean where they
were fondly adopted. Spanish
explorers introduced the
apricot to the New World,
and they were planted in the
gardens of Spanish missions
all over California. The
first recorded major
production of apricots in
America was in 1792 south of
San Francisco.
Apricots Today
In the United States, 95% of
apricots grow in the San Joaquin
Valley and other parts of
northern California. More than
400 growers produce many
varieties of apricots, the most
common of which are featured in
the table below. Growers
continually experiment with new
varieties that deliver sweet
flavor and ship or process well.
Selection and Storage
Look for plump apricots with as
much golden orange color as
possible. Stay clear of fruit
that is pale yellow,
greenish-yellow, very firm,
shriveled, or bruised. Apricots
that are soft-ripe have the best
flavor, but they must be eaten
immediately.
Apricots will ripen at room
temperature. To help them ripen,
place them in a paper bag with
an apple. When they yield to
gentle pressure, they are ready
to eat. Refrigerate ripe
apricots, unwashed, in a paper
or plastic bag up to 2 days.
Wash them before eating. They
are a perfect fast food anytime.
To cut fruit, slice around its
seam, twist it in half, and lift
out the pit.
Apricots are available
throughout the year from
different regions:
-
Mid-February through
mid-March from Chile
-
Mid-June through
mid-July from California
-
Mid-July through
mid-August from
Washington
Preparation
Apricots are great to eat raw,
but they are also terrific
cooked. These are some common
cooking methods:
Broiling or grilling: Try
threading the apricots (whole or
halved) on skewers. Brush them
with a little honey, and grill
until semi-soft. Broiling
apricots is easy. Simply halve
the apricots, place them on a
cookie sheet with the skin down
and the cut side up, and heat
for 7 to 10 minutes.
Poaching: It’s a great method
for making a delicious sauce.
Simply place the apricots with
their skins intact into
simmering water or fruit juice,
and cook until tender. Adding
spices such as cinnamon or
cloves enhances the apricot
taste. When the apricots are
tender, the poaching liquid can
be used as a sauce. Poaching
takes about 6 to 8 minutes.
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