Storage

We pick our apricots ripe. When they reach you they should be ready to eat and should not need any ripening period. Given that ripe flavoursome apricots, if not handled carefully, spoil easily, we have gone to great lengths to ensure maximum shelf life. Just picked apricots are not allowed to sit in the sun. The hot, just picked apricot is cooled to below 9 °C before sorting. The sorting is done on a MAF no impact sorter and the sorted fruit is immediately placed back into a second cool store at just above 0 degrees. Temperature probes monitor the cool chain, which is to say from the paddock to the market.

To further maximize the life and to lock in the flavours of our apricots we recommend that:

• The fruit is never placed in direct sunlight for any length of time.

• Keep the apricot in the fridge either loose or, even better, in a paper bag. Apricots should never be kept in a plastic bag in a warm place. The resultant condensation will likely ensure rapid bacterial breeding.

• If the apricot is sliced for use in salads or other food preparation, a little water or (better) olive oil should be sprinkled on them. This locks in the moisture. Olive oil also helps marinade the apricot slices (try some with sliced mozzarella cheese and/or sliced tomatoes – alternate the slices for an eye catching dish).

A cool apricot on a hot summers day is both refreshing and so very healthy. The World Heath Organization recommends you eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Please note, for great looking and tasting apricots, they should not be frozen from fresh. If this occurs, unless they have been vaccumed sealed, they will turn a bown colour due to oxidisation during defrosting. They will still taste the same however, still that fresh apricot taste.