Apricots all done! A friend came to learn how to preserve today, an extra pair of hands, which was excellent.

There’s just a jam pan of stewed left, which I could bottle, but with cakes to bake and visitors coming tomorrow for lunch and dinner, these will form the basis of delicious apricot sweets for them.

We’re a little tired now, but the effort is so worth it, to have a pantry full of exquisite apricots to enjoy in the months to come.

Oh yes – can you guess what the clear tan liquid is in the two smaller jars? Strained off today, this is amaretto style liqueur made from last year’s apricot pips (they’ve been steeped in vodka and sugar since last January).

Right now I’m trying to resist the temptation to go back to the orchards to buy more apricots……