Apricot Loaf Recipe
December 18, 2015
December 18, 2015
I look forward to summer for the stone-fruit and berries being added to our meals, cooking and snacks. In addition to a seemingly endless abundance of tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and cucumber that are part of our summer kitchen garden harvests from January, these are the (food) things that make summer special. We regularly pick our own berries to make jam for the year. This year, we are taking a break a little earlier than usual and so will not get to do this until the new year. This is not ideal as many families on school holiday have the same though at some point and the fruit can be low at this time. We will have to take our chances…..
We regularly shop at a local farm-gate called Home Made Produce across the summer months for spray free produce that is predominantly sourced from local farms. This is the place we seek our fruit to put into the dehydrator, for jam, sauces and baking. Nectarines, peaches and strawberries feature on the “dirty dozen” list. This is a list that highlights the fruits and vegetables that consistently test high levels of chemical residue. While it is an American list, it can be assumed that the results would be similar here in Australia. You can read an action plan I wrote to avoid the dirty dozen here. It is important to me that I use this knowledge to avoid unnecessary exposure to chemical residue in our family food via eating from our own vegetable garden and accessing resources such as our local farm-gate to source fresh food.
Last week I couldn’t resist these apricots, with a gorgeous pink blush. I took 10 kg! Plus a few peaches, nectarines and strawberries for good measure.
Ten kilos of fruit takes a little time to process! I made a couple of kilos of my apricot jam, dehydrated 5 trays for baking later in the year, made a few trays of apricot fruit wraps, some ice blocks for after school treats and also this recipe for apricot fruit loaf. Cut it thick and eat it warm with a little butter, heavenly.
There were also plenty to eat fresh across the week for school and work lunches and snacks
Have you discovered a great local farm gate near you? If you have use the comments below to name it and the area that it is in so that others can discover the benefits of shopping for produce in this way.
Wow, that IS a lot of fruit… being empty nesters, I had forgotten that I too used to buy those quantities when my children were at home. Lovely recipe. Compliments of the season XXX