Orange Overload

There was once a cherry tree in my 'hood that decided to bear apricots after 15 years of barrenness.


They glowed and insisted on a few more photo ops.


They were teeny. Only slightly larger than a cherry. And deliciously and totally over-the-top tart. The best thing to do with them, I was told, was to dry them. So I sliced each little apricot into two and saved the stones. I might as well have not bothered for the kernels were bitter beyond compare.


I also sliced the flesh in a couple of places but not through the skin. This was to allow the apricot to retain its semi-circular shape to a certain extent. It took less than two days in the heat of the Colorado sun for them to lose their water content and harden into these unattractive shriveled bits.


I went through severe remorse each time I looked at in their direction. Worse still, the entire neighborhood had whooped at the marvel that was the apricot tree and for all practical purposes, it might have been barren again - for there wasn't a single fruit to be spied on those branches. We should have just eaten them as is or I should have cooked with them while they were fresh.

Then I soaked one half in some water. It rehydrated beautifully and the tart flavor is so intense that this could be a rival for kokum! A happy ending, after all!

And, just to make things very clear, this is not my entry to Bee's Grow Your Own event.

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11 comments:

Anita said...

So we might see a recipe with these soon? Or is it going to sit in your cupboard alongside another sun-dried thing...till it turns to dust...
You know what - you could cook them together! The other thing has sour prunes...

Sia said...

what? not an entry for GYO after all that drama? he he he he....

musical said...

Beautiful, whichever way you look at it!

bee said...

it's nice that they are not sulphured. that alone makes them worth it.

Priya said...

Hey, checked flickr comment only now, I have never made khubani ka meetha, but most of the recipes online look similar. See if you can try it in a small qty, the tartness is what makes me have second thoughts. The taste I can recall of the dish is the sweetness of the fruit.

Rachel said...

Wow 15 years and that is worth the wait!

Beyond Curries said...

I've been following your comments in Bee's GYO post and TM post. I really love your sense of humor. Why this is not an entry to the event?

JS said...

Manisha...I need a taste of that, please! Thanks for stopping by, incidentally...all is well for the time being, it appears. You seem to be hiding yourself lately! Where can I read you?

Cooking Station said...

Those fresh Apricots look so good..worth waiting 15yrs ... ;)

Shilpa said...

I am trying to think all the reasons why this is not an entry .... So is it a prelude to a recipe with these dried ones?

Indian Food Rocks said...

Anita, you might. And thank you for the suggestion. Your feedback has been noted and it will be processed in the order it was received. Oops! You are first so yes, definitely.

Sia, nope. I like drama. Even the serious kind.

Musy, thank you! You are the best!

Bee, no preservatives or sugar or corn syrup in these hard little things.

Priya, I don't think these will work for khubani ka meetha. I don't have too many either so Apricot Chicken might just win.

Madhuram, if you keep saying nice nice things to me, you will be even more and more welcome here! Why is this not an entry to GYO? I don't know. Maybe I don't have an entry? ;-)

John, it's good to hear that things are under control. This summer has been very busy and I feel like I am being sucked into a vortex of activity even though I did not necessarily sign up for it!

Cooking Station, we all think so! And a tip from my neighbor: don't park your car under an apricot tree. It can dented as they fall and if they start to over-ripen and spoil on your roof, it could ruin your paint.

Shilpa, did you come up with one yet? I might need to borrow it. Your reason(s), that is.