heaven again :::: 
If you want to be my best friend, just give me a few pounds of fresh apricots and I am yours for life. I’ve visited apricot heaven in many ways already, apricot-earl grey tea pâte de fruit and the best apricot liqueur ever. My in-laws visited just after Sky-Girl was born last month, nearby friends of theirs with a flourishing orchard. My mother-in-law brought home about ten pounds of peaches and nectarines and about six pounds of apricots. While some may feel overwhelmed with this amount of fruit, I was just overwhelmed with what I could do with it, and within the capacity of my fruit and baby lifting restrictions after a caesarean section.
peaches and nectarines: destined for fruit leather
After gorging on many of the apricots, the four pounds we had left over were destined for compote. I don’t have the time to can any fruit (it’s too focused of a project when Sky-Girl needs more attention) and sure that we would eat the compote within a couple of weeks. My first batch, still warm, was a hit with Peach and Grub.
Even better: there are other recipes on the site that can use this compote. Try it atop the grilled halloumi cheese with apricots and mint. Or eat it with the browned butter dutch baby. And coming up in a future post: apricot-mint fizz. Enjoy your little heaven: I have mine with apricots and kids.
One year ago: pluots with mascarpone, honey, and thyme
Two years ago: kaiserschmarrn with peaches and blackberries
- 4 pounds of fresh apricots, roughly chopped and brown spots/blemishes removed
- juice from one lemon
- zest from one lemon
- ¼ cup water (if you have juicy apricots, you may not need this)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (optional)
- In a heavy pot, mix together apricots, lemon juice, zest, water (if using), and vanilla extract. Add spices if using. Cook over moderate heat, just bringing to a boil then simmering for 15-20 minutes. The mixture will soften but remain chunky.
- Cool and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks, longer in the freezer.
