Find the most important etiquette rules on how to serve and eat apricots and tips to be the ideal host or the perfect guest at the dining table.

What apricot etiquette is

Apricot etiquette is the set of rules to properly serve and eat apricots. Such rules help avoid behaviors that can disrespect hosts or guests, or make you look unpolite.

If you are hosting, follow apricot etiquette to serve it to your guests appropriately.

If you are a guest, respect apricot etiquette rules to properly eat and enjoy it.

What you should know about apricots

An apricot is a fruit from the eponymous tree. Apricots come from areas with a warm climate. Such as Turkey, Southern Europe, Chile, or South Africa.

Apricots are round in shape, with soft velvet-like skin. Their color ranges from yellow to bright orange. They have a fragrant texture with a sweet flavor. Inside, apricots have a large kernel.

Etiquette rules to serve and eat apricots

1) How to store apricots

Store whole apricots in the fridge. Avoid placing them in a sealed container. Do not wrap them in plastic. If they are ripe, they will last about 4 or 5 days. Sliced apricots can last up to 2 or 3 days.

In the freezer, apricots will last for 10 or 12 months.

Store them out of the fridge if you are going to eat them in 1 or 2 days.

2) How to clean apricots

It is a good hygiene norm to wash an uncut apricot before eating it or slicing it. Even a quick wash decreases the risk of contamination from pesticides or other chemicals. 

Place the apricots in a bowl of water. Leave them in for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, wash them under running water. Dry them on a kitchen cloth.

3) How to prepare apricots 

Cut the apricot in halves with a knife. Slice the fruit all around the kernel. Then, separate the two halves and remove the kernel. Finally, remove the skin and slice it into chunks.

Fresh apricots are perfect for making jam or chutneys. Use them in fruit salads, tarts, crumbles, pies, or cheesecakes. You can add them on top of ice cream or yogurt and cereals. They are also a great ingredient for smoothies or milkshakes. 

Squeeze fresh apricots with lemon juice to prevent them from discoloring. 

4) How to serve & present apricots

You can serve apricots for breakfast, as a snack, or as a fruit course after a meal. 

If you serve them whole, do not remove the skin. Serve them washed, in a serving bowl.  

If you serve them in chunks, it is ideal to remove the skin. Present sliced apricots with a serving spoon. You can accompany them with cream, whipped cream, yogurt, mascarpone, or ice cream.

Alternatively, you can serve sliced apricots in small individual cups.

Serve apricots at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge between 10 and 30 minutes before serving. 

5) Food and wine to pair apricots with

Apricot flavor matches well with many aromas. Vanilla. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Caramel. Ginger. Mint.

They go well in fruit salads. Combine them with lemon, nectarines, peaches, berries, coconut, apples, and plums. They pair with nuts, such as almonds or hazelnuts.

Apricots pair well with sweet wines. Such as Muscat, Moscato, or Sauternes. With sparkling wine such as Prosecco. With liqueurs such as brandy, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier.

6) How to eat apricots

When apricots are served whole, place one on your plate. Cut the apricot in halves with a knife. Slice the fruit all around the kernel. Then, separate the two halves and remove the kernel. You can discard the skin, or keep it and eat it. Eat the apricot with a fork and a knife.

Eat a whole apricot in bites only on very informal occasions. Never put a whole apricot in your mouth.

If the apricots are served in chunks, eat them with a small spoon or a fork.

Apricot etiquette: the worst mistakes

Avoid the worst apricot etiquette mistakes. 

  • 8/10. Serving spoiled apricots.
  • 8/10. Serving unwashed apricots.
  • 7/10. Putting a whole apricot in your mouth.
  • 7/10. Eating apricots in bites on formal occasions.
  • 7/10. Serving unripe apricots.

Additional information for properly serving apricots

How many calories per serving?

Counting calories is important to stay healthy and to correctly plan a menu.

Apricots contain 48 calories per 100 grams. A single apricot weighs around 35 grams and contains around 17 calories.

How to buy the best apricots

A crucial factor in Merlot etiquette is to serve the best product possible to your guests.

Season and availability

The season for apricots is from May to September.

Choose the best

Do not buy apricots that are very pale in color. Avoid fruits with wrinkled skin, or too soft. The best, ripe apricots should be firm with a gentle give. 

Alternatives to apricots

The best substitutes for apricots are peaches or nectarines.

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