Apricot chicken with chickpea pilaf

Apricot chicken close upCountry Cookery

Apricots suck me in every time. Fragrant, nectary, juicy, hand-picked from a tree – well of course – but even those not completely ripe, less than fragrant apricots that you get from most greengrocers. I buy them even when my gut feeling tells me they’re not fantastic. (I don’t usually do this with other things!) A suggestion of an apricot is still worth it for me. I am an apricot nutter. Continue reading Apricot chicken with chickpea pilaf

Apricot, almond and spice cake

Apricot almond and spice cake

I think our suburb must be the apricot capital of Melbourne – there are trees drooping with fruit all around us, not too many birds to steal them, and the owners of most trees don’t seem very interested (perplexing!). I’ve taken to doorknocking and last year I found a house with two trees and a lovely Vietnamese family who were happy for us to pick what we wanted, as they eat a few apricots but prefer fruits of Vietnam. They are swimming in apricots – or squelching really, as they are spattered all over their driveway. This year we visited twice and took some eggs from our chickens as a small thank you. Continue reading Apricot, almond and spice cake