A few years ago, one of my co-workers, Dorian, walked in my office with a few pieces of fruit and a bottle of Cholula Hot Sauce. He said, “You have to taste this.”
Now, I really love hot sauce, but I could not imagine why I needed to try it with a piece of fruit.
What he showed me that day has definitely become one of my seasonal favorites: Angelcots®. This white-fleshed apricot variety has such an amazing flavor and juiciness! The regular apricots I’ve had lately just don’t compare. (My apologies to all my apricot-growing friends!)
This photo was taken two weeks ago, when my sister Jackie and I were in Northern California. I was longing to “kick the dirt,” so after a client visit, we drove to Byron, California, and got out the jeans and tennis shoes.
Marty (pictured with us), along with his brother Mark, are third-generation farmers. Like every farmer I’ve ever met, Marty is absolutely passionate about his fruits and vegetables (he also grows cherries and sweet corn). Even though it was a full two weeks before harvest, I picked an Angelcot® off the tree and sampled it. I could already taste the sweet juiciness of this special fruit. 
Marty and the fruit breeder, Ross, worked for more than 25 years to develop this particular variety. Sadly, Ross passed away a few years ago, and did not get to experience the fruits of his labor (pun intended).
The only downside of this fabulous apricot is its short season – Angelcots® will only be available for about three to four weeks. Now, fair warning. They cost more than regular apricots. That’s mostly because Marty is a small boutique grower, and he does not grow Angelcots® on a large scale. His costs of producing this fruit are significantly higher than regular apricot farmers. But you tell me – am I right to say that people want to buy fresh produce that tastes great?
So, back to Dorian walking in my office. (My mouth is watering while I am writing this!) He halved the apricot with his hands, put a few drops of Cholula sauce on it, and handed it to me. The taste was incredible! Juicy, sweet (and spicy), and it changed my taste buds.
I hope you can find Angelcots® this season and taste them for yourself. One taste, and you’ll think you went to heaven!
Karen
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