“I have loved apricots for as long as I can remember. They color my fondest memories of growing up in Saratoga, California, a village tucked into the forested fringe of the Santa Clara Valley. In the 1960s, orchards still extended in every direction, and as a child, I assumed they always would. Today, this area is known as Silicon Valley, the world’s greatest engine of innovative technologies. But not long ago, it was a magical landscape known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight.”
So begins my cookbook and memoir, For the Love of Apricots: Recipes and Memories of the Santa Clara Valley. This book goes beyond offering great recipes—it takes you on a nostalgic tour of the Valley of Heart’s Delight, sharing personal memories of what it was like to grow up surrounded by orchards. You’ll also meet the local farmers who continue to carry on the region’s orchard traditions. With more than 60 recipes, this book showcases apricots in every form—fresh, dried, preserved, and even liqueurs—so you can enjoy their beauty and health benefits all year long. For the Love of Apricots is the perfect companion to the marvelous apricots that still grow in our region.
Apricots have played a significant role in the culture and economy of Saratoga and Santa Clara County for more than a century. Despite the dramatic changes in our region in recent decades, locally grown apricots remain available from a handful of cherished family farms dedicated to preserving this heritage.
The Santa Clara Valley retains the fundamental qualities that enticed generations of immigrants to cultivate orchards after the 1849 Gold Rush. Blessed with some of the richest topsoil in the world and an almost year-round growing season, the valley quickly became world-famous for its stone fruit production and stunning springtime beauty, when blossoms covered 125 square miles of the landscape!
In 1900, Saratogans added to the region’s fame by innocently inviting neighbors to attend a small “Blossom Festival.” What began as a simple picnic for a few hundred people grew to attract tens of thousands by the 1920s. Word spread quickly around the world about this unparalleled region.
The Santa Clara Valley’s most famous fruits are the French Prune and the Royal Blenheim apricot. In Saratoga, Novakovich Orchards has cultivated the Blenheim apricot for 99 years, and in 2025, the Novakovich family will celebrate their centennial! Further south, heritage orchardists like Charlie Olson and Andy Mariani also grow Blenheim apricots, selling them in their farm shops. In addition to the Blenheim, Mariani cultivates more than 20 different apricot varieties, all known for their exceptional flavor. Many of these orchardists dry their fresh apricot crop, ensuring enjoyment throughout the year. Having access to apricots in all seasons is part of our regional heritage and a wonderful way to maintain health and happiness.
Andy Mariani put it this way: “As a farmer who continues the tradition of cultivating apricots in the Santa Clara Valley, I share the same deep affection for this iconic fruit as Lisa. This is a fruit deserving of its own special narrative. Lisa Newman has provided just that: a kind of bible for apricot aficionados, with stories, images, insights, and practical information about our favorite fruit. Lisa offers a wide range of modern and heritage recipes that truly showcase the apricot’s virtues.”
Over the years, my love for apricots has blossomed into a deep passion, fueled by my cookbook project. This journey has not only deepened my appreciation for this remarkable fruit but also for our region’s agricultural heritage. I invite you to embark on a culinary adventure with me. Together, let’s celebrate the beauty and flavor of apricots, and support the farmers who continue to nurture this precious fruit. By sharing my cookbook through articles and book talks, I aim to inspire a new generation of apricot enthusiasts. My recipes are designed to create lasting taste memories, ensuring that the love of apricots continues to thrive for generations to come.
Share the love of apricots with your family and friends this holiday season. This delightful fruit makes for a thoughtful and unique gift that everyone will appreciate. Whether enjoyed fresh, dried, or as part of a delicious homemade treat, apricots are sure to bring smiles and warmth to your celebrations. Let the sweetness of apricots brighten the holidays for those you care about!
I'm delighted to share this article published by Best Version Media in the October 2024 issue of the Saratoga Spotlight Magazine.
I love the Blenheim apricots. Where can I buy them, please?
I lived in Campbell and East San Jose most of my life!
Norma Brown
normalb1@aol.com
Nice job with the article, Lisa. I enjoyed it . . . other than that it brought me back to a bitter and soul crushing memory. When I was about fourteen, I got a job at a Saratoga apricot farm on Saratoga Sunnyvale Road. . . “cutting ‘cots.” You’d slice fresh apricots in half, remove and discard the pits, and lay the halves on a big, framed screen to be dried in the sun. The frame was about 4 x 6 feet. (Maybe it was smaller, but I was a small kid so it seemed huge)
Anyway, we were paid 75 cents for each completed “tray” . . . with the half apricots laid out in neat, tight, orderly rows, from top to bottom. It took me about three and a half hours of cutting ‘cots—and my fingers—standing in the hot sun, to complete my first tray. Well, the first one acceptable to the overseer. Meanwhile, I was watching some older Mexican women, who were clearly very experienced and talented, bang out perfect trays every 15 minutes or so. The next day, with my hands covered in bandaids, I went back to mowing other people’s lawns.
Thanks for sharing your article,
Andy Pereira