Waste Not {Apricots}

I am happy to say that I had the opportunity to move around 1000 pounds of local, organic, tasty apricots a few weeks ago. I am learning so much about farming and how the business really works. Items come into season slowly and go out quickly just as they hit their peak. The Backyard Farmer is a company that I use to get high quality fresh produce delivered. The owner works with many local farms to offer a good variety of fruits and vegetable. It has been a privilege to get advice on growing my own garden, sample some interesting varieties (Armenian cucumbers, yard beans) and most of all, unload his excess.

When apricot season came to an end, one of the farmers The Backyard Farmer works with gave him permission to clean off his trees. The fruit so abundant and ripe, it was attracting birds, which deteriorates its quality. Sorting the fruit simply took too much time for it to be worth selling. After a full day of pro bono work, the waste was reduced by about half. Even thought it was grueling and unprofitable, The Backyard Farmer, with his heart of gold is talking about doing it again at the end of peach season, which is soon., I have my fingers crossed.

If you are in the area of Mesa, AZ, get on my Local Finds email list to get notified of all the good deals I am finding in my area. And if you have ordered from The Backyard Farmer, leave a comment with your most favorite item he has brought to your door. Or email me for his latest order form and leave a comment with the item you are most excited to receive.

It was intoxicating to spend days with those apricots, pumping out some glorious treats from my kitchen. Of coarse we at ourselves sick, with enough apricots to account for our lunch. Next, I froze some on a sheet pan and later bagged them to have them handy for smoothies, ice cream and future desires. I made around 30 pints of apricot-honey jam using Pomona’s Pectin. I did a simple cooked sauce with pureed apricots and honey to taste for pancakes and crepes, then thickened some with arrowroot powder and used it in the center of some breakfast rolls. My favorite thing to do when I have an abundance of ripe fruit is fruit leather and apricots make the best fruit leather.

Too simple, I verbally repeated this “recipe” to almost everyone who came to my door that apricot-y day.

Fruit Leather
8 cups fruit puree
1/3 cup honey

Combine fruit and honey in a large blender. Pour about 2 cups onto a silicone baking mat or plastic wrap lined half sheet pan. Spread mixture evenly to about ½ inch from the sides. Set out in the scorching hot sun for a full day or dehydrate per dehydrator instructions or until just tacky to the touch. Peel off of the fruit and cut or store whole rolled up in parchment paper. I like to trim the edges, which store in a separate bag and eat first. You could cover you pan’s with cheese cloth while they are outside, just be careful that the cloth doesn’t touch the puree. I leave it uncovered and just pick out the little leaves that get stuck in it from the wind. It really doesn’t have to be scorching hot, it just may take longer of it is below 85 degrees, and will not work if it is very humid.

This post is part of GNOWFGLINS Tuesday Twister and Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday's