Harvest of the Month: Apricots
If you like out-of-this-world food, then the apricot might be perfect for you. The colorful fruits accompanied astronauts on Apollo moon missions. Of course, people don’t have to head to space to enjoy apricots. Humans have been cultivating them for about 4,000 years. While no one is certain where the fruit originated, there is evidence it might be native to China or Armenia, and that it was spread over the millennia via shipping routes and empire building. It came to North America in the 1700s.
Today we enjoy the fruit in just about every form – raw, baked into desserts, rendered as a flavoring for dishes and so on – and we benefit from its considerable nutritional benefits. A great source of vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, potassium and soluble fiber, apricots are commonly included in “superfood” lists. You’ll find the freshest apricots in stores from May to July, but they are typically available any time of the year. When shopping, select apricots with a rich, orange color (not pale yellow or green) that are a little soft to the touch. Don’t refrigerate them – that will impair the ripening process and can affect their flavors – but simply keep them at room temperature until you’re ready to use them.
Try May’s recipe: Southern Green Beans with Apricots
Tags: appricot, Fruit, harvest of the month, recipe