It's apricot season again!

[SciFiJim]

This is apricots in the process of becoming jam.


The cooking.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120603_111115.jpg


The finished product.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120603_115942.jpg

[imashooter2]

Oh my! I l-o-v-e LOVE apricot preserves...

[SciFiJim]

That batch is for the women and little children. The next batch will contain chipotle peppers as well and have some kick.

[imashooter2]

No worries, I'll just sit with the women and kids then. :oops:

[Goatwhiskers]

Mmmm, I do love apricots and apricot preserves. Just glad it ain't prune season. Goat

[SciFiJim]

Just glad it ain't prune season.

It might as well be. When I pick the apricots, if I am not careful to remind myself not to, too many wind up getting eaten while picking.

[Beagler]

Lucky dog!! All of my peach trees are bare this year. they bloomed really early then the frost set back in.
This is apricots in the process of becoming jam.


The cooking.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120603_111115.jpg


The finished product.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120603_115942.jpg

[Reg]

Never thought of it before but your saying about putting in peppers !!!! Wonder how that would be cooked in over a nice deer roast ???? Think you might be on to something !!!!

[SciFiJim]

To the regular jam recipe I added a small can of chipotle peppers that have been pureed in a food processor. The jam has a sweet, smoky flavor with a mild kick. If you wanted it a bit hotter, you can add an additional teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

[SciFiJim]

The chipotle apricot jam came out much darker than the regular jam. Now to let it sit long enough to set. I don't have another morning at home until next Sunday. It should be ready by then to have on toast.

http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120603_152405.jpg

[dragonrider]

That looks so good, apricots are a favorite of mine.

[Reg]

All of our apricot trees are loaded this year both in town and out here. Will try this one for sure !!!!!

[dale2242]

The idea of adding peppers is interesting.
Apricot -pineapple preserves are my favorite.....dale

[fourarmed]

Put a tablespoon of those apricot preserves in a blender with ice, a dash of lemon juice, and a jigger of white rum, and blend it to a slush.

[Reg]

Put a tablespoon of those apricot preserves in a blender with ice, a dash of lemon juice, and a jigger of white rum, and blend it to a slush.


Now we are really going someplace. This discussion is getting better by the minute !!!!!!!!!!!!!

:drinks:

[oneokie]

You need to make a cobbler or some fried pies with of some of the apricots.

[WILCO]

Now we are really going someplace. This discussion is getting better by the minute !!!!!!!!!!!!!

:drinks:

I'm in on that idea!

[chboats]

Jim - Now that is being down right cruel. I happen to know that the area you live grows some of the tastiest cots in the world and there is nothing like a tree ripe apricot. There is a vender that comes to the farmers markets around here that comes from Fresno with some good cots but still nothing like fresh off the tree. Chipotle apricot jam, I could do some damage to a jar of that.

Thanks for the post.

Carl

[SciFiJim]

Jim - Now that is being down right cruel. I happen to know that the area you live grows some of the tastiest cots in the world and there is nothing like a tree ripe apricot. There is a vender that comes to the farmers markets around here that comes from Fresno with some good cots but still nothing like fresh off the tree. Chipotle apricot jam, I could do some damage to a jar of that.

Thanks for the post.

Carl

The tree in my back yard is so loaded that branches are breaking. I need to do some serious tree pruning after the season is over with in a few weeks.

[SciFiJim]

I made a cobbler tonight. It's OK, but needs more sugar. I eyeballed the measurements and it looked like plenty, but the fruit is still pretty tart. It's good with vanilla ice cream.

http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/IMG_20120606_222835.jpg

[square butte]

You really know how to hurt a guy. Been up to camp nelson lately?

[SciFiJim]

Been up to camp nelson lately?

Haven't been in years. It's the usual story. I live too close to go. I also haven't been up to the big trees in years either. The people that make the trip are the one's that have to come a long way to do it.

[Longwood]

Some Brix, or the strongest Blackstrap Sorghum you can find, will grow fruit so sweet you will have to cut back on sugar in jam etc.

Off of the tree,,,, the improvement in sweetness and taste is amazing.

Feed stores have it sometimes.

Some Hydroponic stores sell a milder and more expensive Brix.

Strong, non sulfured molasses, will work,,,, but it is expensive if you have lots of tree's.

[SciFiJim]

Some Brix, or the strongest Blackstrap Sorghum you can find, will grow fruit so sweet you will have to cut back on sugar in jam etc.

Off of the tree,,,, the improvement in sweetness and taste is amazing.

Feed stores have it sometimes.

Some Hydroponic stores sell a milder and more expensive Brix.

Strong, non sulfured molasses, will work,,,, but it is expensive if you have lots of tree's.

I have never heard of Brix. On googleing it, I didn't find a product, only that "Brix" is a measure of sugar content.

How it Brix or molasses applied? I only have one tree, so it should be easy to apply. I also have a peach, plum, and nectarine tree. Can the same thing be done to them to increase sweetness? How about citrus trees? I have a naval orange tree as well.

[WARD O]

The apricots and chipotle looked mighty interesting to me. Not living in the apricot belt, I bought enough to make a small batch and put up a few pints for a test run. I used apricots, cidar vinegar, splenda, and chipotle in adobo sauce. It came out rather interesting.....

I want to try it with cream cheese on crackers and the idea of blending a little with some rum is going to get tested as well.

One thing I know for sure is that if you apply a reasonable amount to some chicken (or probably pork) while it is sitting on the grill you can get some awfully good chewing out of the deal....

ward

[Longwood]

I have never heard of Brix. On googleing it, I didn't find a product, only that "Brix" is a measure of sugar content.

How it Brix or molasses applied? I only have one tree, so it should be easy to apply. I also have a peach, plum, and nectarine tree. Can the same thing be done to them to increase sweetness? How about citrus trees? I have a naval orange tree as well.

Some farmers use it on alfalfa so I am sure it will help.
I have a gadget, I bought some where that is made from PVC that works with a my soaker hose irrigation system for manure and compost tea.
I suspect that simply pouring it on the ground and watering well with a sprinkler a few times would work ok.
A liquid fertiliser injector may work better. I do not know since I never tried one.
The way I heard it is,
Brix is the nasty tasting stuff that is the bottom of the barrel when they are making molasses.
I had to cut back on the amount of sugar I needed for pies and jam and off of the tree,, they are incredible tasting.

[SciFiJim]

When would be the best time to apply? I would think that just after bloom time in the spring would be good, but am open to better knowledge.

The season is just about over. We had a couple of 100+ degree days and most of the fruit ripened and has fallen off of the tree.

[Longwood]

LINKS ADDED


When would be the best time to apply? I would think that just after bloom time in the spring would be good, but am open to better knowledge.

The season is just about over. We had a couple of 100+ degree days and most of the fruit ripened and has fallen off of the tree.

I am not experienced enough to advise you.
I probably put them on as soon as the fruit set.
I pick up the ones from the ground and after careful inspection use them for cooking.
Trim off the dings etc, and they are a good as any.
I bought a lot of items from organic growing suppliers.
Gempler's is pretty good source for some specialty items for home growers.

I did a search a found this,,

http://homeharvest.com/organicfertilizerearthjuice.htm

It appears the best place to get it may be a feed store.
Here is something else I found on Google.

http://www.herbs2home.com.au/blogs/for-gardeners/4004-why-use-molasses-on-your-garden

It's main job is to feed the good stuff (micro organisms) that makes your food taste good.
What ever you do,,, do NOT use any redwood products on a food garden. It has an oil which prevents the growth of the micro organisms.
That is why it makes good fence posts.

[Reg]

Just finished running off the last batch of apricots from daughters tree and had to experiment. Couldn't find any chipolti peppers, one of the prices you pay when you live in the middle of no where but did come up with one can of tamed down jalopinos . It was good but lacking. Got down in the cellar and found a 1/2 pint of kind of a mixed hot pepper medley I had put up last year. Ran it through the processor and VOL AH !! That did it. This stuff is great !! Need to dig around in the freezer and see if there is a deer roast left.
What a idea. I think you could go commercial with this !!

:awesome:

[TXGunNut]

Thought I'd never admit I miss canning.......I think all my gear's still around here somewhere and jars are easy enough to find. Wonder how the local peach crop did?
Thanks, SFJim. Awesome thread!