Ah the love of a good apricot! In Washington where I live, they are sad and dryish. I discovered the true joy of apricots on my first music tour to the Bay Area. Happened upon a farm-stand and bought a few. As I drove off eating them, I learned I’d need a towel (as bib!) to catch the juicy drips! I’m in search of some before I return to WA on this current CA road trip! If they make it home, I’ll make an apricot cream pie for the 4th! (Based on my grandmothers peach cream pie recipe) Thanks for the inspiration. 🥰
Oh, yum, Jean! Thanks for creating such a great image in my mind of a peach (or apricot) cream pie! Is this a recipe you can possibly share? If so (or not), I'd still love to see the picture of the finished product. It does sound just perfect for the 4th! Wishing you and Sunny safe and happy travels and some delicious--and fruitful!--farm stand discoveries along the way!
Saratoga is lovely! I wonder if you'll come across a variety that I can't seem to find down here that are supposed to be the best and most prized of all the apricots--Royal Blenheims, or just Blenheims or Royals. I believe that the tree that grew in our yard was this variety. It used to be ubiquitous in the Santa Clara Valley (which everyone now calls Silicon Valley!), but it's less common now. I'm still hunting for them here.
Oh, you’re so welcome, Vicki! I’m definitely going to make it this summer. We’re lucky enough to have a long strawberry season here in California, and the ones at the farmers markets are SO good right now. A strawberry smoothie is on the shortlist too! 🍓 🍓 🍓
This entire piece is mouth-watering. I’d never considered apricots in a cobbler, what a sweet idea!
I had an outstanding road trip across country from Phoenix to Maine a few years ago via I-40 to ABQ to I-25 through Colorado and Wyoming and eventually I-90 through South Dakota (with stops at Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer over the 4th of July). All are definitely worth seeing and Wall Drug in--wait for it--Wall, SD is good fun. Happy trails!
Thanks so much for your comments, Amie, and for weighing in on our road trip. I wish we could keep going to Maine, such a beautiful state that I’ve only visited briefly.
Wall Drug in SD definitely sounds like a kick--we’ll make a point of stopping there!
I just discovered Cook & Tell and am thrilled! I’ll be reading backwards to catch up with all the great stories a recipes I’ve missed. The illustrations are just wonderful too. Thanks for writing so that I could discover you--and your remarkable mother as well!
You’re welcome, Jolene! I’d never made a clafoutis and hope to try it with other fruits. Thanks for the inspiration and the recipe! I always learn something from you!🍒
I'm envious of all the fruit trees in the backyard of your childhood home! Thank you for the fruit desserts and jam inspiration. I am not adept with pie crust so always opt for a cobbler.
Thanks, Vicki! I always get nervous making pie also and mostly save pie-making for Thanksgiving, but they are pretty great when you get it right. A cobbler does seem like the perfect solution!
I miss California for so many reasons and fresh fruit is certainly close to the top of the list! When we lived in Indianapolis, my father owned a grocery store and he taught me how to pick the best of each type of fruit. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting, Leslie! Figuring out how to pick fruit at its best is so important, especially if you’re trying to figure out what’s good for eating and what for baking, what will ripen now or in a few days. That’s a whole other post. When I write that one, I’ll call you to find out what you learned from your dad!
Fruit orchards in Palo Alto. Oooo, dating yourself there. Where I spent thirty years, Walnut Creek, it was all pear orchards and not a few walnuts trees as well, not surprisingly. But that was all before I arrived. Zero pears by the late 1980's and just a handful of walnut trees left. The price of "progress".
Yes, Crowden, I’m afraid the price of self-revelation is outing myself as an “oldster” (though I remain young at heart or try anyway!). We didn’t really have an orchard, but fruit trees were certainly more abundant then than now. Our first house in Palo Alto, was at the leading edge of development, and there were still wild creeks and fields to play in, though the post-war population explosion took care of that! I still have a number of relatives in the Bay Area who are proud owners of backyard fruit trees, so there’s a bit of nature there for the nostalgic fruit lovers among us.
Ah the love of a good apricot! In Washington where I live, they are sad and dryish. I discovered the true joy of apricots on my first music tour to the Bay Area. Happened upon a farm-stand and bought a few. As I drove off eating them, I learned I’d need a towel (as bib!) to catch the juicy drips! I’m in search of some before I return to WA on this current CA road trip! If they make it home, I’ll make an apricot cream pie for the 4th! (Based on my grandmothers peach cream pie recipe) Thanks for the inspiration. 🥰
Oh, yum, Jean! Thanks for creating such a great image in my mind of a peach (or apricot) cream pie! Is this a recipe you can possibly share? If so (or not), I'd still love to see the picture of the finished product. It does sound just perfect for the 4th! Wishing you and Sunny safe and happy travels and some delicious--and fruitful!--farm stand discoveries along the way!
🍑🥧🍓
Planning on a stop in Saratoga! Lucky the apricots are late this year so I didn’t miss them! I’ll send a picture etc when I’m back. 🥰
Saratoga is lovely! I wonder if you'll come across a variety that I can't seem to find down here that are supposed to be the best and most prized of all the apricots--Royal Blenheims, or just Blenheims or Royals. I believe that the tree that grew in our yard was this variety. It used to be ubiquitous in the Santa Clara Valley (which everyone now calls Silicon Valley!), but it's less common now. I'm still hunting for them here.
PS
novakovichorchards.blogspot.com
Yummm! Please let me know if they live up to the hype!
Will do!
Yes!! The very same. I found 2 farms with them, all within 30 miles of Santa Cruz. My mouth is watering now!
I forgot to thank you for linking to my strawberry shortcake!
Oh, you’re so welcome, Vicki! I’m definitely going to make it this summer. We’re lucky enough to have a long strawberry season here in California, and the ones at the farmers markets are SO good right now. A strawberry smoothie is on the shortlist too! 🍓 🍓 🍓
This entire piece is mouth-watering. I’d never considered apricots in a cobbler, what a sweet idea!
I had an outstanding road trip across country from Phoenix to Maine a few years ago via I-40 to ABQ to I-25 through Colorado and Wyoming and eventually I-90 through South Dakota (with stops at Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and Custer over the 4th of July). All are definitely worth seeing and Wall Drug in--wait for it--Wall, SD is good fun. Happy trails!
Thanks so much for your comments, Amie, and for weighing in on our road trip. I wish we could keep going to Maine, such a beautiful state that I’ve only visited briefly.
Wall Drug in SD definitely sounds like a kick--we’ll make a point of stopping there!
I just discovered Cook & Tell and am thrilled! I’ll be reading backwards to catch up with all the great stories a recipes I’ve missed. The illustrations are just wonderful too. Thanks for writing so that I could discover you--and your remarkable mother as well!
Thank you for subscribing! I love your letter and can’t wait to hear more about your journey.
Making more in August!
As I was reading your post I was eating a PBJ. The J was your peach jam from last summer!
For your road trip, peaches in Palisade, Colorado. We have great fruit here in Colorado! Roadside stands and farmer's markets.
Thanks, Loren. I believe that’s on our route! We’ll definitely check it out!
If you're stopping in Denver, I will take you guys out to the best deli in town.
That does sound like a great idea, Loren! Not sure of our timetable, but we’ll be in touch!
Shauna Sever in Midwest Made has a recipe for a homemade gelatin with strawberries and /or raspberries and a creamy layer. It is so summery!
Love her book!
Clearly that’s another cookbook I will need to get!
That does sound good! I will have to check that out. Thanks, Annette!
Summer in a beautiful post, Ruth! 🍑 🍒 Thank you so much for the shout-out and I’m glad you and the book group enjoyed! ❤️
You’re welcome, Jolene! I’d never made a clafoutis and hope to try it with other fruits. Thanks for the inspiration and the recipe! I always learn something from you!🍒
I'm envious of all the fruit trees in the backyard of your childhood home! Thank you for the fruit desserts and jam inspiration. I am not adept with pie crust so always opt for a cobbler.
Thanks, Vicki! I always get nervous making pie also and mostly save pie-making for Thanksgiving, but they are pretty great when you get it right. A cobbler does seem like the perfect solution!
I miss California for so many reasons and fresh fruit is certainly close to the top of the list! When we lived in Indianapolis, my father owned a grocery store and he taught me how to pick the best of each type of fruit. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting, Leslie! Figuring out how to pick fruit at its best is so important, especially if you’re trying to figure out what’s good for eating and what for baking, what will ripen now or in a few days. That’s a whole other post. When I write that one, I’ll call you to find out what you learned from your dad!
Fruit orchards in Palo Alto. Oooo, dating yourself there. Where I spent thirty years, Walnut Creek, it was all pear orchards and not a few walnuts trees as well, not surprisingly. But that was all before I arrived. Zero pears by the late 1980's and just a handful of walnut trees left. The price of "progress".
Yes, Crowden, I’m afraid the price of self-revelation is outing myself as an “oldster” (though I remain young at heart or try anyway!). We didn’t really have an orchard, but fruit trees were certainly more abundant then than now. Our first house in Palo Alto, was at the leading edge of development, and there were still wild creeks and fields to play in, though the post-war population explosion took care of that! I still have a number of relatives in the Bay Area who are proud owners of backyard fruit trees, so there’s a bit of nature there for the nostalgic fruit lovers among us.
Pineapple boat!