We have been eagerly tasting apricots on our farmer's market forays, waiting for them to go from tart and unpleasant to juicy and sweet. Someday soon, we knew. Saturday wasn't promising until we stopped by the Frog Hollow booth. Emissaries from the stand were offering samples to the throngs of tourists at the Ferry Plaza. One bite of the heavenly apricots, and we dived into the palace of produce to get more.

We these compact golden orbs, whose ancestors travelled from China to the Middle East to Spain to California. The exception is the prince, or perhaps duke, of apricots, the Blenheim, which first appeared in the Duke of Marlborough's palace in 1830. We could never give an elegy for this variety that would surpass the love letter written by kick-ass chef, eloquent blogger, and SFist reader Shuna Lydon. Go, read it. We'll be here when you get back.

Pictures by Melissa Schneider

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