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Savor the Sweetness of Apricots

© Michael Vyskocil

Here at Seasonal Cooking, we believe strongly that nature triggers the beginning and end of each new season. The first displays of crimson and ochre in the leaves on the trees announce autumn's arrival. The finest flecks of snow that dance upon our windows turn our thoughts to winter days. The buds that burst forth into flowers on a dogwood remind us to rejoice in the arrival of springtime.

Summer, the season that engages all our senses, is not quite like the boisterous guest at a party that announces his or her presence upon arrival. Instead, we note the arrival of summer in subtle ways. It could be the sweat that beads on our brows after a morning jog; it could be the rosy appearance of our flushed cheeks after an hour working in the garden. The brilliant hues of green grass and leaves yield to yellows and reds, as summer fruits shimmer like jewels from fields and orchards. It's a time when farm stands and produce purveyors display basket after basket of glorious ruby cherries, plump cream-colored melons and fuzzy orange peaches. But one of the earliest summer fruits that subtly proclaims summertime are the apricots.

Fresh apricots are a splendid fruit to behold. Their soft-fleshed exterior and demure size are attractive to the eye. Pleasurable as they are, apricots do carry their share of personal vices: First, since the soft flesh bruises easily, the fruits are never shipped long distances. Second, the apricot season is a short-lived one-two month season that extends from the middle of May to early July. If you're going to eat an apricot, now is the time to savor these succulent fruits. The small lobed spheres range in color from brilliant yellow to rosy pink-orange with a soft fuzz covering its golden skin. Apricots can be perfectly cradled in your hand, all the more reason to sample their delicate scent--a hybrid combination of peach and melon. For such simple fruits, apricots have a bold and intricate flavor. The almost intense sugar-sweetness of the fruits makes them ideal candidates for desserts, but they can be used in savory sauces and preserves as well.

Even though apricots are available canned, frozen and dried year-round, nothing compares to the flavor of a fresh apricot in all its sun-ripened goodness. When choosing apricots from the farm stand or produce bin, look for apricots that are slightly soft when pressed and have a perceptible aroma. Unlike other fruits that ripen after they're picked, apricots must be selected carefully, so avoid any fruits that seem hard to the touch or have no fragrance. So gather up a bin of apricots, and enjoy these golden beauties as a toast topping for breakfast or as a rich, tasty jam. Think of James Russell Lowell admonishment from The Vision of Sir Launfal--"And what is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days"--all the more better to savor the apricots.