Heavenly apricot jam

I grew up in Santa Clara Valley before it became Silicon Valley and its orchards bulldozed. The fertile valley, with it’s year-round mild temperatures, was considered the apricot capital of the world. Most who grew up there picked and/or cut cots, as I did.

Years later, I bought some apricots at the store. They were bigger and more beautiful than the ones I had picked but had no flavor. I asked my wife’s cousin, who was the third generation of his family to raise apricots, what had happened to them. He said the cots we ate in the old days were Blenheims, a heirloom variety unique to Santa Clara Valley. Orchardists turned to the bigger varietals because the Japanese preferred them.

I later found a source for Blenheims in Morgan Hill, CA, and purchase some each summer, during their brief season. But a friend directed me to WeLoveJam, a wonderful company in SF who turn out Blenheim jam. I purchase a case each year. I had some on a English muffin this morning and it was so good I thought I’d pass on their website link. They’re very friendly people to deal with and make a variety of different jams and sauces. I’m just a very satisfied customer - welovejam

Thank you!

Just ordered some to try. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for the link, Jim; I used to make apricot jam from fruit a local guy grew (variety unknown), but he’s out of business, the trees gone and no one else around here grows them.

I think a lot of apricots are still Blenheims but are grown in the San Joaquin where they don’t do as well and of course they’re harvested early to transport. Picked ripe ones at a farmers’ market are s much better.
There’s a farm in Brentwood called Maggiore’s that has a newish variety they call an Angelcot. They are incredibly sweet, still have some tang, and seem almost juicier than a Blenheim. The season is incredibly short in early summer.