Apricot

About

Apricots are small, orange colored fruits that are family to peaches. Originally cultivated in India, these fruits are now grown in various parts of North America, South America and New Zealand.

Apricots have velvety skin and flesh, and are sweet to taste with a slightly tart undertone similar to peaches and plums. They have a singular brown seed in the middle resembling the almond nut.

These fruits are available throughout the year as dried and canned fruit. Fresh Apricots which provide a good source of Vitamin C, are usually available during the summer months.

In addition to Vitamin C, Apricots are also high in Vitamin A or Beta Carotene which is good for the eyes and heart. Apricots go well with raw fruit and vegetable salads, stir fries, baked goods and meat dishes.

Information

Other names: Armenian Plum

Translations: Aprikoze, Abrikosas, Marelica, Mai, खूबानी, Абрикосы, Βερίκοκο, المشمش, 살구, Meruňka, Aprikot, Aprikot, 杏, Albercoc, Marelični, Meruňka, Albicocca, מישמש, Aprikos, Кајсија, アプリコット, Abricot, Abrikos, Aprikos, Albaricoque, Абрикоси, Aprikoosipuita, Кайсия

Physical Description

The fruit is a drupe similar to a small peach, 1.5–2.5 cm diameter (larger in some modern cultivars), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface is usually pubescent.

Colors: yellow, orange, tinged red

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet

Wine complements: White, Tokay

Substitutes: Apriums, Pluots, Peaches, Nectarines

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: When selecting fresh apricots, look for fruits with no touch of green whatsoever. The fruits vary in size from about 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches in diameter. The flesh should yield to gentle pressure when held in the palm of your hand, and the fruit should have a bright, ripe aroma. Avoid those that are bruised, soft, or mushy.

Buying: Most fresh apricots sold to market are picked when not quite mature and still firm to reduce shipping damage. While they will ripen in color, texture, and juiciness after being picked, the flavor and sweetness will remain at the same level as when they were picked and will not improve.

Procuring: Although often thought of as a "subtropical" fruit, this is actually false – the apricot is native to a continental climate region with cold winters, although it can grow in Mediterranean climates very well.

Harvest season for apricots in the United States is from June to mid-August depending on variety and location, but dried apricots are available year-round.

Conserving and Storing

apricots will continue to ripen if left at room temperature in a paper bag, away from sunlight. Check the ripening progress often as they will quickly deteriorate. They will never achieve the same full sweet flavor as tree-ripened, but will be better than off the shelf. Once ripened, store for no more than a few days in the refrigerator.

To freeze, slice apricots in half and remove the pit, which will impart a bitter flavor. Dip in an ascorbic acid solution to discourage discoloration. Place in airtight baggies in the freezer up to 3 months.

Social/Political

The Chinese associate the apricot with education and medicine.

Among American tank-driving soldiers, apricots are taboo, by superstition. Tankers will not eat apricots, allow apricots onto their vehicles, and often will not even say the word "apricot". This superstition stems from Sherman tank breakdowns purportedly happening in the presence of cans of apricots.

History: The apricot was known in Armenia during ancient times, and has been cultivated there for so long it is often thought to be native there

Apricots have been cultivated in Persia since antiquity, and dried ones were an important commodity on Persian trade routes.