When coming out to play the sun takes care to put on its hat but Mother Nature is less coy. The sensual fruits of summer are short lived so their pleasures should be wolfishly enjoyed before their bloom is replaced by putrefaction. Apricot is delicious as a word, a work of art to behold and a sorcerer’s ingredient. When simply heated in a pan with some sugar and a few tablespoons of water they transmogrify into a sweet, sharp compote to be eaten alone or with creme fraiche or with soft goat cheese. Sometimes I will make a deep cut along the cleavage and put them in a low oven until the fruit opens, releasing the stone. They can then be put into a pastry case on top of a layer thick creme anglaise and glazed with their own sweet syrup. These are fruit to be selfishly gorged on when they are perfect and to be avoided if they are not.
Food, Photography & France 
Absolutely. A perfect apricot is, well, just perfect. If not, it feels just like eating your granny’s knitting.
That’s the problem….and you just can’t be sure until you’ve had the first bite:)
I’ll just say it again; I adore how you make the everyday look and sound extraordinary.
Thanks a lot:)
Love apricots.
Who could not? 🙂
Les fesses, just right (and ripe) to be bitten” Lovely shot too – nice low angle and effective narrow focus.
🙂
Great photo – love the blue and orange contrast !
Summer does throw some good colour around:)
That’s a beautiful tart 😉
Cheers, MD….had a bit of trouble with the custard floating up through the syrup glaze, but it tasted great:)
I thought that was a reflection 🙂
OK, I was just kidding…let’s call it a reflection…why didn’t I think of that?
Definitely – I didn’t notice a thing until you mentioned the unusual reflection. Perhaps it’s sun spots 😉
I shall keep an eye for that in future…Note to myself: buy a sun spot filter:)
🙂
My favorite time of year!!! Apricot season!
I’ve just come home with a bag of tiny flat peaches that have taken my fancy:)
You all are so lucky in France with the apricots. The ones here are shipped from god knows where and always just horrible. Beautiful tart!
Cheers, Michelle. I always buy the apricots with a certain amount of trepindation, fearing the worst. It’s been very good, so far, this year.
Perfect description, Roger. I definitely gorge on apricots. So lovely baked or poached (with prosecco!)
I’d forgotten the Prosecco plan….nice one…thanks:)
wah beautiful light, as always ! Summer is here 🙂
So wonderful when it’s like this:)
Stunning images, I need to sink my teeth into one of those luscious lovelies. Do hope you’ll be telling us how you made that gorgeous tart (please)?!
I should have added a recipe but it’s so simple. I blind baked a puff pastry case. While the case cooled I made a creme anglaise, with the addition of a small amount of plain flour to make it more like a creme patissiere, and made a layer in the bottom of the case. Cooked apricot halves were then laid and top and finally I glazed the whole with a reduced apricot syrup made from the juices of the cooked apricots. Voila:)
Voila indeed – thanks for that Roger, will be making it!
🙂
Again I must protest in the strongest terms – showing such exquisite apricots, that I could not get here no matter how hard I’d try, and then, to top it off, converting them into this fantastic pastry desert, is just too much for me – I need some smelling salts!!! 🙂
By the way, I want to let you know that we are continuing to enjoy the roasted Brussels Sprouts/Sweet Potato dish you featured a while back! I usually serve it with thick grilled pork chops and wild rice.
I know it’s disgraceful, Christian, but I can’t help myself. I’m glad the Sprouts/sweet potato recipe is still a favourite:)
Wow. Beautiful photos, gorgeous tart and apricots. Yum.
🙂
Those reflections make the tart look even more scrumptious. I think I’m developing a permanent drool.
Glad it got you drooling, Catherine:)
Sensuality thru’ food par excellence!! With a cold 60 km westerly blowing down my street, one tends to look jaundiced and try to sound gracious in saying ‘enjoy’ 🙂 !
We’ve only just come out of that, Eha, so we’re revelling in blue skies and sun…sorry:)
Enjoy!!!!!!
Beautiful.
Cheers, Rosemary:)
Oh Mercy! What a beautiful bowl of Apricots and the tart is just one of the most lovely I have ever seen. I am entranced by the color.
I love the phrase “Oh, mercy” …wonderful:)
That tart is a wonderful thing indeed – glistening.
All that glisters is not gold..it’s sometimes apricots:)
The tart sounds good and I must give your tip about roasting the apricots to loosen the pit.
You’ll be pleased to hear that I did this…it was the first time and I got the tip from a Gennaro Contaldo recipe book.
Mmmmm apricot cleavage…
…steady….they’re just apricots:)
You were the one talking about breasts… 🙂
I think I was talking about bottoms…check out a translation from French for “fesses” 🙂
🙂
Talk about putting the art in tart. Bien fait, Roger!
Je te remercie:)
Transmorgify is such a great word! I do wish the season for apricots was longer.
There’s so much delicious fruit at this time of year…we’re spoiled for choice:)
Wow, apricot tart. The perfect summer dessert. Emma xx
Hard to beat, isn’t it:)
Roger, you hit it again! Apricots are just such a sensual fruit , they are female definitely, they are soft and caressing. And baked in a simple puff pastry pie or jam they are just a pleasure for every one.
It has to be a good apricot and not the “cotton wool” variety:)
Oh , no other choice!
🙂
Quelle joie d’ete…wish I could get beauties like those on Oxford (at least ripe, sweet ones!)
I don’t know why it’s so hard to find apricots that not only look good, but also taste good….best of luck:)
Mmmmmm.
🙂