Today’s Spotlight is on Apricots.

An apricot is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus Prunus. Usually, an apricot is from the species P. armeniaca, but the fruits of the other species in Prunus sect. Armeniaca are also called apricots.

Another description is that apricots are a small, pitted stone fruit that are about the size of a golf ball.  They are also known as Armenian plums. Apricots are round and yellow and look similar to a smaller version of a peach.  They have soft, velvety skin with a light fuzz.

Apricots are rich in vitamins and minerals. They have a sweet, tart flavor, and their flesh is soft and somewhat juicy when ripe. Apricots are closely related to peaches, almonds, plums, and cherries. They are cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world, especially in the Mediterranean.

Apricots are mainly eaten raw, but can also be used in cooking, and are often dried.

 

History

Apricots originated in China around 3,000 BC. They were cultivated in China and Central Asia for over 4,000 years. They were introduced to Europe and Armenia.

Apricots were imported into Europe along the Silk Road. They were an important commodity on the Silk Road because they could be transported over long distances. They were ubiquitous in the Ottoman, Persian, and Russian Empires before the 20th century.

Apricots were introduced to North America in 1720. They were originally introduced in Virginia, but they didn’t become popular until 1792 when they were brought to California by Spanish missionaries.

Today, apricots thrive in most temperate climates, including North, Central, and South America, North America, and Oceania. The top five producers of apricots in 2019 were Turkey, Uzbekistan, Iran, Italy, and Algeria.

 

There are several legends about apricot trees, including:

• Noah and the Ark – According to one legend, Noah brought an apricot tree from the Ark and planted it in new soil. The apricot tree was the only tree to survive the great flood.
• Roman mythology – In Roman mythology, Venus, the Roman goddess of love, held dominion over the apricot.
• Greek mythology – In Greek mythology, apricots were believed to be “golden apples”. They grew in the garden of the gods in the realm of Hesperides, near the Atlas Mountains.
• Vietnamese legends – Some say that the apricot tree represents good luck for the whole year. The yellow apricot blossom is a symbol of Tet in Vietnam, which represents good luck, wealth, good health, happiness, and love.

 

Apricots have many symbolic meanings:

• Education and medicine – In Chinese culture, apricots are associated with education and medicine.
• Wisdom and knowledge – Philosophers see apricots as attributes of wise men, such as Confucius, who taught his students under apricot trees.
• Delicate grace – In Chinese art, the fruit of the apricot symbolizes the delicate grace and appeal of the female.
• Passion and carnal desire – In Spain, it’s widely believed that the apricot has the power to awaken passion and carnal desire.
• Timid love – Apricot flowers are said to symbolize “timid love” and can be given as a gift from an admirer.

In the Bible, the apricot tree is planted for the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

 

Here is a recipe for and Apricot tart for you to try:

Ingredients:

• ¾ tub (or the whole tub if you have a very big case) mascarpone, sweetened with 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 ready-made pastry case baked blind.
• 10 apricots, poach them first)
• 2 tbsp of a really good one apricot jam, mixed with 1-2 tbsp Amaretto (optional)

 

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Spread the mascarpone into the pastry case. Push the apricot halves into the case, cut side down. Brush the apricots with the jam mixture and drizzle over any extra. Bake for 30 minutes or until the apricots are soft. Cool before cutting as the filling will be runny.

 

Consumption

In 2021, the global per capita consumption of dried apricots was approximately 25 grams. Americans eat about six-tenths of a pound of apricots per year.

Apricots are popular in the Middle East, with Turkey and Iran being the world’s largest producers. California is the leading state of apricot production within the United States. In 2023, a survey found that 11% of consumers said they purchased apricots in the past year.

Global apricot production in 2021 was approximately 3.58 million metric tons. The United States produces more than 40,000 tons of apricots each year.

 

Celebrating Apricots

National Apricot Day is celebrated on January 9th. In France, Apricot Day was celebrated on August 1st, when fresh apricots were in season.

Apricots are usually harvested in the summer, but dried apricots and apricot-flavored things can be enjoyed all year long.  Apricot Logs are a sweet-tart treat made from dried apricots.  Chocolate Dipped Dried Apricot Fruit is a gourmet treat.

Holiday Apricot & Dark Chocolate Sourdough is a sophisticated sourdough full of fruit and chocolate.

Let us know in the comments how you celebrate Apricots