For apricot lovers, now is one of the shortest, sweetest moments of early summer. From June through mid-July, menus and markets are filled with golden Pattersons, freckled Royal Blenheims, and rouge-streaked Golden Sweets—all ready to be baked into galettes, simmered into jam, poached in syrup, or simply eaten straight out of hand, lush with juice.

“Apricots like to point their noses to the ocean breezes,” says third-generation stone-fruit farmer Betty Van Dyke, who grows 80 acres of Royal Blenheims in Gilroy at Van Dyke Ranch. For decades, Santa Clara Valley and its environs were lined with apricot orchards; now only a few heirloom growers remain.

But those who love their ’cots stalk their favorite varieties by name, often forgoing easy-to-find, supermarket-ready types like Patterson and Castlebrite in favor of vintage cultivars, such as Moorpark and Red Cloud.

AT THE MARKET
“Are your Royal Blenheims ready?” That’s what Full Belly Farms’ Dru Rivers hears from her farmers’ market customers starting in early June. “They’re what everyone wants,” says Rivers, whose clientele knows that flavor and juiciness make up for the fruit’s green shoulders, small size, and speckled skin. Blenheims offer a burst of true, old-fashioned apricot flavor, their peachlike sweetness tempered with tang.

Not everyone is on the Blenheim bandwagon, though. Jam maker June Taylor (510-548-2236, junetaylorjams.com) prefers Red Clouds, Golden Ambers, and Golden Sweets. “I think we’re missing the beauty of all these other varieties,” says Taylor, who also praises Pattersons for their sprightly flavor.

Savvy fans of Taylor’s jams know to look for her poached Red Cloud apricots in rose-geranium or lavender syrups. “I’ll make a small batch only if I get really beautiful fruit,” says Taylor, who favors dry-farmed Red Clouds for their “meaty, intense flavor—almost like a dried apricot—and deep-red blush.” Her classic apricot conserve is also available this season, as well as a smooth, fragrant apricot-almond butter.

Choosing the perfect fruit depends on variety, but look for deep color and a rich aroma. Very soft fruit is best for eating, while fruit that’s fragrant but slightly firm will hold its shape best for roasting or poaching. For jam, use a com­bination of very ripe (for best flavor) and firmer (for higher pectin content). Apricots will continue to soften at room temperature, so store them in the refrigerator if you plan to keep them for more than a couple of days.

ON THE MENU
At Delfina (3621 18th St., S.F., 415-552-4055), pastry chef Koa Duncan says she’s partial to Blenheims, Castlebrites, and Pattersons. She serves honey-roasted apricots with a Greek-yogurt gelato, an apricot brown-butter crostata with a pistachio-anise crust, and a pairing of apricot sorbetto and chamomile gelato.

For the dessert menu at Orson (508 4th St, S.F., 415-777-1508), pastry chef Luis Villavelazquez mixes the roasted fruit with apricot juice and aromatic herbs, then wraps it in pastry for an updated spin on a classic apricot pie.

IN THE KITCHEN
Even after hand-processing two tons of Blenheims into their coveted jam, Eric Haeberli and Phineas Hoang, owners of Santa Clara Valley–based We Love Jam (available at local markets and welovejam.com), can’t pass up a beautiful apricot at the market. They showcase extra-ripe Blenheims in a bread pudding perfumed with almond paste and dark rum. The original recipe (which they’ve since adapted) was created by their friend David Lebovitz during his time as a pastry chef at Chez Panisse.

To make the pudding, slice 10 ripe apricots into 8 pieces each. With an electric mixer, beat 8 egg yolks with ¼ cup each white and brown sugar at slow speed for about 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and beat until the yolks are a pale yellow color and have begun to thicken.

Reduce mixer speed to slow and pour in 2 cups each heavy cream and nonfat milk, the zest of 1 orange, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon dark rum. Fold in apricots and 4 ounces almond paste, cut into cubes.

Tear a 1-pound loaf of challah or white pugliese-style bread into 1'' squares. Fold bread into apricot mixture and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. Pour into a lightly greased baking dish (mixture should be at least 3'' deep) and bake at 375 degrees for 40–50 minutes, until the top is nicely brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out fairly clean. Serve warm or chilled.

apricot lovers, now is one of the shortest, sweetest moments of early summer. From June through mid-July, menus and markets are filled with golden Pattersons, freckled Royal Blenheims, and rouge-streaked Golden Sweets—all ready to be baked into galettes, simmered into jam, poached in syrup, or simply eaten straight out of hand, lush with juice.

“Apricots like to point their noses to the ocean breezes,” says third-generation stone-fruit farmer Betty Van Dyke, who grows 80 acres of Royal Blenheims in Gilroy at Van Dyke Ranch. For decades, Santa Clara Valley and its environs were lined with apricot orchards; now only a few heirloom growers remain.

But those who love their ’cots stalk their favorite varieties by name, often forgoing easy-to-find, supermarket-ready types like Patterson and Castlebrite in favor of vintage cultivars, such as Moorpark and Red Cloud.

AT THE MARKET
“Are your Royal Blenheims ready?” That’s what Full Belly Farms’ Dru Rivers hears from her farmers’ market customers starting in early June. “They’re what everyone wants,” says Rivers, whose clientele knows that flavor and juiciness make up for the fruit’s green shoulders, small size, and speckled skin. Blenheims offer a burst of true, old-fashioned apricot flavor, their peachlike sweetness tempered with tang.

Not everyone is on the Blenheim bandwagon, though. Jam maker June Taylor (510-548-2236, junetaylorjams.com) prefers Red Clouds, Golden Ambers, and Golden Sweets. “I think we’re missing the beauty of all these other varieties,” says Taylor, who also praises Pattersons for their sprightly flavor.

Savvy fans of Taylor’s jams know to look for her poached Red Cloud apricots in rose-geranium or lavender syrups. “I’ll make a small batch only if I get really beautiful fruit,” says Taylor, who favors dry-farmed Red Clouds for their “meaty, intense flavor—almost like a dried apricot—and deep-red blush.” Her classic apricot conserve is also available this season, as well as a smooth, fragrant apricot-almond butter.

Choosing the perfect fruit depends on variety, but look for deep color and a rich aroma. Very soft fruit is best for eating, while fruit that’s fragrant but slightly firm will hold its shape best for roasting or poaching. For jam, use a com­bination of very ripe (for best flavor) and firmer (for higher pectin content). Apricots will continue to soften at room temperature, so store them in the refrigerator if you plan to keep them for more than a couple of days.

ON THE MENU
At Delfina (3621 18th St., S.F., 415-552-4055), pastry chef Koa Duncan says she’s partial to Blenheims, Castlebrites, and Pattersons. She serves honey-roasted apricots with a Greek-yogurt gelato, an apricot brown-butter crostata with a pistachio-anise crust, and a pairing of apricot sorbetto and chamomile gelato.

For the dessert menu at Orson (508 4th St, S.F., 415-777-1508), pastry chef Luis Villavelazquez mixes the roasted fruit with apricot juice and aromatic herbs, then wraps it in pastry for an updated spin on a classic apricot pie.

IN THE KITCHEN
Even after hand-processing two tons of Blenheims into their coveted jam, Eric Haeberli and Phineas Hoang, owners of Santa Clara Valley–based We Love Jam (available at local markets and welovejam.com), can’t pass up a beautiful apricot at the market. They showcase extra-ripe Blenheims in a bread pudding perfumed with almond paste and dark rum. The original recipe (which they’ve since adapted) was created by their friend David Lebovitz during his time as a pastry chef at Chez Panisse.

To make the pudding, slice 10 ripe apricots into 8 pieces each. With an electric mixer, beat 8 egg yolks with ¼ cup each white and brown sugar at slow speed for about 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and beat until the yolks are a pale yellow color and have begun to thicken.

Reduce mixer speed to slow and pour in 2 cups each heavy cream and nonfat milk, the zest of 1 orange, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon dark rum. Fold in apricots and 4 ounces almond paste, cut into cubes.

Tear a 1-pound loaf of challah or white pugliese-style bread into 1'' squares. Fold bread into apricot mixture and refrigerate for 1–2 hours. Pour into a lightly greased baking dish (mixture should be at least 3'' deep) and bake at 375 degrees for 40–50 minutes, until the top is nicely brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out fairly clean. Serve warm or chilled.