Everybody is excited about the fruit this year, not least the apricots – this year, they are so delicious. Usually, one battles constantly to save whatever fruit that comes from the ravages of cockatoos and other birds, but this year there is more than enough to go around, and everybody, including the birds, are happy.
The apricots ripened early this year on Boxing Day. Luckily we had many family members who were happy to sit and chat over buckets while we cut and prepared apricots for bottling and making jam.
The apricots I love come from Parksbourne, a little settlement not far from where we live south west of Goulburn. They are oval in shape, with a dry flesh and a deep orange colour when ripe. They are full of flavour and make the most beautiful jam. I was told by an old Parksbourne resident they called these apricots Bush Peach Apricots.
These apricot trees are very old now, and have not produced a good crop for four years. After many years of drought, this year the fruit was abundant. I hope this abundance of this old variety is not the trees last gasp for life, and, in their desperation they are throwing out a great crop of seeds before they die.
My mother, who was born in 1918 on the Breadalbane Plain upon which Parkesbourne sits, tells me it was the Methodists who established the settlement. The men planted apricot orchards and apparently the women were renowned for their beautiful embroidery. Before refrigeration, early orchards needed a good rail link to send their fruit to market and Breadalbane was the railway siding they used.
When you try and imagine a world before refrigeration, you can understand the depth and necessity of the traditions of preserving fruit. As food prices and the energy costs of refrigeration go up, it seems that rediscovering the traditions of bottling fruit is a natural tactic in the struggle to achieve a more balanced and sustainable approach to life. That is a rather dry argument I know – you may prefer to settle for the rationale that the results taste spectacular!
Bottling
With such abundance this year, jam is but one option, preserving and bottling them another one worth trying. Apricots, peaches, nectarines, pears and cherries are all fruits that bottle well. As do apples and rhubarb as a puree, which are handy for charlottes, crumbles and pies.
Fruits preserved in light syrup and heat processed in a water bath is worth the effort. The natural acid in some fruits make them perfect for bottling. During the calculated temperature and heating times, surplus air is expelled and anything remaining in the bottle is sterilised. The action of enzymes is stopped, microorganisms are destroyed and the vacuum seal prevents the entry of further harmful organisms.
Proper strong jars that withstand high temperatures and suitable lids for creating a vacuum are important. Rubber rings should be replaced every time they are used.
Fowlers Vacola has been used widely in Australia for years for preserving equipment. Second hand Vacola jars come cheap and can often be found at country clearing sales or second hand shops. I like the wide necked jars Vacola size 31, which has a 4-inch standard lid, making up to around 1 litre. Lids and rings are always available.
Bottled apricots
My version of bottled apricots has been adapted from Jocasta Innes’ book The Country Kitchen.
1 Place rings on sterilised bottles.
2 Make syrup from 1 litre of water and 100g sugar and a slice of lemon zest. (or as much as 400g of sugar)
3 Clean and trim the apricots which should be firm and ripe. They can be bottled whole, or halved and stoned. If you cut up the fruit it will pack down tighter.
4 Pack the apricots right to the top of the jar. They will soften and shrink later. Push the fruit down with a wooden spoon, fill the jar to the brim with hot (60C) syrup and give the jars a quick shake to release any trapped air and cover. If using screw-on lids they should be screwed on tight, and then unscrewed a half turn to let the air escape. If using lids and clips, push them on.
5 Put a trivet, wire rack or some other type of false bottom in a deep pan. Stand the jars on it and completely fill the pan with warm water at 38C, simmering the bottles with the lid on the pan. Bring the water to simmering point (88C -92C) slowly over 30 minutes and then maintain the heat for twenty minutes.
6 Remove the jars from the pan with tongs; tighten the seals and leave to cool on a wooden board. If using clips, cool for 12-18 hours with the clips left on.
7 Wipe bottles clean. Store in a dark place.