We’ve read the glut of preservation blog posts about all the wonderful things an enterprising individual can put up to share with family and friends. And yes, I’m pretty much on the sharing bandwagon. I love the pleasure my food gifts bring to others, and knowing that it’s a continuing pleasure — that they open that jar of jam many mornings and feel the endorphin rush of deliciousness more than once — is honestly one of the greatest joys in my life.
But blah blah blah, summer of love is over, ya hippie. This post is about the food I make that I DON’T share, the stuff that’s too good for others…or maybe too good for everyone except the one friend whom I deem might be able to sufficiently appreciate it. This is the selfish, food-hoarding side of the preservation movement, and I embrace that, too.
And it has a name in my house: brandied apricots.
These slightly tart, tangy, sugar and booze saturated little pillows of fiberous goo make even plain goat milk yogurt taste good. On crepes, with similarly brandied cherries, they are divine. When I eat them during the day, I feel naughty, as if I just slammed down a Manhattan in my kitchen at noon. Just now, I was eating them, plotting to drive to eastern Washington as soon as the apricots hit the market, buying up a huge box and stuffing them in jars. More jars! More for me! Brandied apricots! All! Winter! Long!
I also, for the record, feel this way about my loganberry jam, my green tomato pickles, and my dill pickles. So don’t even ask.
What do you make for yourself and hoard?
Culinaria Eugenius 
Blanched, frozen vegetables from our garden: green beans, broccoli, snow peas. Frozen foods I made from our garden produce: ratatouille, tomato sauce, pesto, and a special item made from roasted garden veges: Garlic Sauce w/Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes, known by its acronym: GSPOT!
I might consider trading some of the above for a few of those brandied ‘cots & cherries!
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No way, no how! (but sounds great, Ellen!)
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Didn’t think so!
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Cherry pie filling, tuna, and I’m with you my pickles….sweet and dill…..yum.
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canned smoked tuna.. I gave all our jam away at xmas and we ate our last jar! good thing there will be more berries this Summer
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maple corn relish and, yes, the pickles
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This was my 1st year canning and I hardly have anything left! Gotta do more cause giving is fun! lol BUT the salsa stays here along with the rosemary pesto and the frozen bbq corn! Except for a small amount that went to the daughter’s house. Pickles are going to be one of my hurdles this summer, besides the pickled peppers that were so simple. I tried green cherry tomato pickles, they were to mushy now I am am going to hunt your site for your recipe!! These sound AMAZING!! I can hardly wait till our trees are big enough to produce :)
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I’ve gotta really like you to pop open a jar of tomatillo salsa in your presence!
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My peaches. I shared them with one friend because I know how much they appreciated them (and they did, and promptly said thank you) but the rest are all for me! The homemade ketchup too: there is no sharing there.
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@Brooke, I don’t think I posted a recipe. Not sure if I used one, actually, since I kept the apricots in the fridge. It was just apricots cooked in hot sugary brandy.
@Stephanie, yes, the ketchup! It was such a giant PITA that I don’t want to give it away and hope it lasts forever. :)
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Yep I agree – the brandied apricots are mine all mine! And if I get my hands on some figs, that is jam I don’t share with many.
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We turned most of a 5 kg box of cherries into brandied cherries this summer and gave them as part of christmas hampers. I was very glad, however, that there were a few jars over. Stone fruit is just starting here, so brandied apricots are now on the list. Thanks for the inspiration.
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I found this late, so the post is late, but maybe someone will be similarly inspired as I’ve been reading the previous 12 posts — I hoard my Earl Grey peach jam and blueberry jam with good gin.
I am very curious to see a post on brandying apricots this summer. Hint! Hint! I infuse a lot of booze, but my fruit always seems completely worn out. I’m curious to see your proportions and such.
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Ann, just saw this now, sorry! I don’t measure! I do find that the berries and cherries are completely exhausted by the booze and sugar after a couple of months. I think more sugar might help with this problem. Also, sour cherries hold their flavor (but not their color, which is an ugly taupe) much better than Bings or other dark sweet cherries.
The apricots, though, kept their apricottiness.
I’m also either encouraged or in grave danger by a new development in brandied cherry land. I had a batch start to re-ferment in the fridge, and the cherries have regained their flavor and then some — they are absolutely delicious and fizzy! But I might die. Stay tuned.
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