APRICOTS

If you're only accustomed to dried apricots, now's the time to try fresh. Fresh apricots, now in peak season, don't have the concentrated sweet-tart flavor of dried, but they do make a great bite-sized and nutritious snack for the start of summer.

The basics: Apricots have been grown in China for thousands of years, though their origin is not known. Today, the primary producer is California, where a number of varieties are grown.

Apricots belong to the rose family and are related to peaches, plums, cherries and almonds. They are similar to peaches and plums, with a hard center pit, but are less juicy. They are also smaller, and range in color from pale yellow to deep orange. Apricots are a good source of vitamin A and C.

The fruits are fragile and highly perishable, thus they are sometimes picked too early so they can be transported without damage. They will ripen slightly after they are picked, but rock-hard fruit tinged with green will never be as flavorful.

Selecting: Look for fruit that is plump and relatively firm. Watch out for bruises, fruit that is too soft or wrinkled and shriveled.

Storing: Apricots can be left out on the counter or placed in a paper bag to ripen, then should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Use: Fresh apricots are a good snack in themselves, but cooking can enhance the flavor. Apricots can be baked, grilled or -- ideally -- poached in a sweet liquid.

Simply cook pitted apricots in orange juice and sugar just until tender. They can be served warm or cold, or try adding a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Fresh apricots can also be stewed with prunes for a healthy breakfast dish.

Where to buy: There is only a small window for fresh apricots. They should be available from now until July. Prices vary from $1.29 a pound on sale to $2.99 a pound.

Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com

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