Page 51 - Sonoma County Gazette - May 2019
P. 51

The apricot is a member of the rose family, as are plums, peaches, cherries and almonds. All of these fruits
are known as drupes, a fruit with think skin, a pulpy middle, and a hard center enclosing a seed. Apricots ripen earlier then other fruits, which is why you find it early in the summer season. The Romans called apricot trees praecocia, which translates to precocious. The word would morph over time to the word apricot.
Apricots are highly perishable and taste best when eaten when soft. This
is why you will find the best apricots at the farmers market. A vendor selling apricots can help you find the hard ones that will ripen later or the ones ready to eat now. They can be stored in a bag in the refrigerator but should always be eaten within a couple of days of purchasing.
The first apricots were first cultivated in China as far back as 3000 BC. It is often thought to be a native fruit of Armenia because apricots were cultivated there for may centuries. But it was Greece by Alexander the Great and Lucullus, a Roman General, who exported the trees from Armenia to Europe around 100 BC. The widespread cultivation of the fruit during this time led to the confusion over their exact origin. Persians also cultivated them for many years, with the dried fruits being an especially important commodity for the Persian economy. It was Spanish missionaries who introduced the crop to California. California has over 9,400 acres of apricots planted and is the leading state in the nation’s crop production. California’s apricots account for 95% of the total U.S. apricot production.
After this long winter I think we are all looking forward to consuming apricots and other wonderful summer fruits at the farmers’ market.
Apricots
 zz
 * INFO: communityfarmersmarkets.com/markets ** YEAR-ROUND
SATURDAY:
Gualala Farmers’ Market ~ 9:30- 12:30p, May 26 - Nov 3. Gualala Community Center, Hwy 1, Gualala. INFO: 707-884-3726
Healdsburg Certified Farmers’ Markets ~ 8:30a to Noon (May 4 - Nov 23)) West Plaza Parking Lot, North & Vine St. 707-824-8717/ 707 529-4884, Healdsburgfarmersmarket.org, manager@healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Oakmont Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a – 12p, at the Wells Fargo parking lot corner of White Oak and Oakmont Dr. 707-538-7023**
Petaluma Walnut Park Farmers’ Market ~ 2-5p (May 11 - Nov. 16) Petaluma Blvd South at D Street 415-999-5635 info@communityfarmersmarkets.com
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market at the Vets Bldg ~ 8:30a-1p Veteran’s Bldg, 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Center ,50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket.com 707-522-8629**
Sonoma Garden Park Harvest Market - 9a - 12p, May ~ Nov. Sonoma Garden Park, 19996 7th St. East, Sonoma. sonomagardenpark.org
SUNDAY:
Bodega Bay Community Farmers Market - @ 10a - 2p, May 26 - Sept. @ 10a - 2p BB Community Center, 2255 CA Hwy 1, bodegabaycommunitycenter.org
Sebastopol Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p Sebastopol Plaza, Downtown Across from Whole Foods Market sebastopolfarmmarket.org **
The Springs - 10a-2p, June 2nd - Dec. 15th on the Plaza at Boyes Blvd. and Hwy 12 next to the Post Office, CalFresh. *
West End Farmers Market - 9:30a to 2p. May 6 to Oct 28 at #9 4th Street, Santa Rosa. Shop, eat, socialize, listen to music and drink local beer INFO: wefm.co
Windsor Certified Farmers Market - 10a-1p, April 7th thru Dec. 8th. Rain or Shine, Windsor Town Green, McClelland Dr. windsorfarmersmarket.com
TUESDAY:
Cloverdale Tuesday Farmers’ Market - 3-6p , April 2 ~ Nov 26, 225 N. Cloverdale Blvd. (Empty Lot Next to Plank Coffee); cloverdaletuesdayfarmersmarket.com
Forestville Farmers Market - 4 - 7p Opens June 4th at the Forestville Downtown Park on Front Street (Hwy 116). Opening Day festivites.
Healdsburg’s Market-on-the-Plaza - 9a - 1p. Opens May 28th. Healdsburg Ave & Matheson, Plaza @ Center St. INFO: healdsburgfarmersmarket.org
Petaluma East Side Farmers’ Market ~ 10a -1:30p, Year Round, Lucchesi Park, 320 N McDowell Blvd, Pet. communityfarmersmarkets.com; 415-999-5635 info@ communityfarmersmarkets.com**
WEDNESDAY:
Petaluma Theater District - 4:30p-8p June 5t- Aug 28, 140 2nd St #112, Petaluma. * Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market at the Vets Bldg ~ 9a - 1p, Veteran’s
Bldg, 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa 415-999-5635 * & **
Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 8:30a - 1p. Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd, Santa Rosa. thesantarosafarmersmarket. com 707-522-8629 **
THURSDAY:
Cotati Farmers Market - 4:30p-7:30p June 6 - Aug 2h, (Closed 4th of July) @ LaPlaza Park, Old Redwood Hwy a@ West Sierra Ave., Cotati. *
Petaluma Farmers’ Market Pop Up Shop ~ 2p-8p, 151 Petaluma Blvd S Petaluma facebook.com/PetalumaFarmersMarket
Windsor Certified Farmers Market 5-8p, May 30 - Sep 5. Windsor Town Green, McClelland Dr. LIVE CONCERTS 6-8p, windsorfarmersmarket.com
FRIDAY:
Rohnert Park Farmers Market ~ 5p-8p June 7 - Aug 30 - 10-year celebration opening night till 10pm, Rohnert Park Plaza, 500 City Ctr Dr, Rohnert Park. *
Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers’ Market ~ 9a - 12:30p, Arnold Field, 241 First St West (across from the Depot Hotel.), Sonoma 707-538-7023, svcfm.org**
Occidental Farmer’s Market hopes to open the 1st week in June - STAY TUNED
    Apricots always represent the entrance to summer for me. At the farmers’ market I often get questions of when they will be arriving or do we still have them available. They are fruit that reminds me of simpler times when we canned them, dried them and ate them fresh from
the tree. I find the farmers’ market attracts those who do the same as my family did when I was a young girl. It’s always great to see that the art of preserving a short season fruit has not waned from our culture.
   Apricots Broiled with Goat Cheese and Toasted Almonds
Ingredients (you double the recipe for larger parties) 1 tablespoon sugar
4 apricots, halved & pitted
8 teaspoons fresh goat cheese
Directions 1. Preheat Broiler.
2. Place sugar in small saucer. Dip cut side of apricots in sugar to coat. Transfer to a small broilerproof baking dish.
3. Broil, rotating once, until apricots are carmelized and juicy, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove apricots from oven.
5. Let cool slightly and top with goat cheese and almonds. Serve
Kelly Smith • Agricultural Community Events Farmers Markets, North Bay Farmers’ Markets from Marin to Sonoma • communityfarmersmarkets.com, A 501(c)5 Nonprofit PO Box 113 , Kenwood
  2 tablespoons of sliced almonds (toasted)
immediately.
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