How to cook apricots

The apricot is a round, fleshy fruit that is closely related to the peach, plum, almond, and cherry. It has a single seed enclosed in a stony shell. The edible, pale-orange skin is smooth and velvety. The flesh is drier than that of most other fruits.

Family – Rosaceae
Scientific name – Prunus armeniaca

Common name – apricot

Good source of vitamin C
High in vitamin A (beta-carotene)

Apricot varieties

Approximately 12 varieties of apricots exist, with flesh that varies from yellow to deep orange. Some of the better known varieties are the Blenheim, the Tilton, the Patterson, and the Castlebrite.

Apricot origin and botanical facts

The world’s leading producers of apricots are Turkey, Italy, Russia, and Greece. Ninety percent of the U.S. domestic market is supplied by growers in California; Utah and Washington supply the rest. During the off-season, apricots are imported from Chile and New Zealand. Apricot trees grow to about 20 feet in height and spread to a width of 30 feet. The white or pink flowers appear in early spring and give way to fruits in late summer. Because of this early flowering, apricot yield may be limited by late frosts that kill the flowers. The domestic crop is available from mid-May to mid-August, and imports arrive in December and January.

How to cook apricots

Apricots are best when purchased ripe or slightly underripe and allowed to ripen in a paper bag. Green-tinged fruits will not ripen properly and should be avoided. Ripe apricots can be stored in the refrigerator up to a week, but apricots that are soft and juicy should be eaten within a day or two of purchase. Apricots should be washed just before they are eaten. They are excellent eaten out of hand or used in any recipe that calls for peaches or nectarines. Apricots should not be cooked for an extended time because they tend to lose their flavor rather quickly; poaching is an ideal cooking method. Dried apricots are a convenient, nonperishable snack.