Apricots at Ferry Farmers Market

[Ciaohound]

For the First Weekend Chowbakers Group, we are baking Apricot Gallettes.

Which vendors at the Ferry Farmers Market have had the best apricots lately? What hybrid would you suggest for a gallette?

Have heard that apricots haven't been as sweet this year as in the past, is this true?

Thanks, hope these questions aren't fruitless.

[Brandon Nelson]

Variety wise I go for Blenheims. They are very fragile, and their season is about over though. Always take advantage of the ability to sample. Stone fruit can vary from week to week (even daily)

Chow!!!

[Caiohound]

I'm going to leave work early today (TGIF & I deserve it) and run over to Berkeley Bowl for the FIRST time. Trying to avoid Ferry's Farmer's Market which means having to get up at 6:00 tomorrow.

I'll report anything especially good over there.

[Ciaohound]

I got Patterson Apricots at Berkeley Bowl yesterday.

Parking was rough and I was in a major hurry so I didn't get to walk up and down each aisle which I would have liked.

Unfortunately, I felt too conspicuous to taste an apricot in the middle of the store.

Surprise: They aren't very sweet.

Now, I have to figure out a way to turn them into a delicious Apricot Gallette for tomorrow's Chowhound Chowbaker group event.

Sugar??? Apricot Jam??? Tough Luck???

[Stanley Stephan]

Hey Bob,

I didn't respond to your original post because I don't know nothing about no baking pasteries. If you were going for sweet and not tart, the Blenheims would have been the way to go.

Anyway, why not post this on the general board to get some hints on how to sweeten the apricots.

Don't be a baby. The parking is currently a breeze compared to the old Berkeley Bowl where major fights broke out on Saturday mornings and holiday seasons over parking places. I say this tongue in cheek :-) But I was thinking when you mentioned stopping by late on Friday that it was one of those prime times like Saturday morning.

Just want to also take this opportunity to tell you how much I enjoyed your chinatown post. This has been a wonderful week to learn more about Chinese food between the walking tour and that fascinating recon dinner. To that whole group, I immensly enjoyed those reports.

[Ciaohound]

Hi,

I looked for the Blenheims but they didn't have too many apricot choices at Berkeley Bowl and no Blenheims.

I'm going to try and sneak out from work during the mid-week, mid-day so I can really cruise the whole Berkeley Bowl store. It definitely looks like my kind of place.

Plus, I want to check out the cheese store you recommended across the street. I especially love bleu and brie cheeses that you said they have lots of!

I hate to clog up the general board asking how to cook this and that. I think we'll just sweeten them up with sugar and hope for the best.

Regards to the Chinatown walking tour, thanks for the props. on the posting. I'm working with Yimster on Tour #2, interested? It's funny that I've lived in SF over 50 years-been to Chinatown millions of times-yet really know nothing about shopping/eating there in the "Chowhound" way. Come along, it's loads of fun, socially rewarding, good exercise and very informative.

[Stanley Stephan]

Are you kidding? People love those baking questions. It seems how to sweeten tasteless apricots for a galette would generate alot of response.

Actually, from my brief forrays into cooking, there are times I've bought that not so sweet apple and would be interested in idea's for fixing that problem. Haven't seen anything like that on the general board when I went through it. Well, even if you don't post there, I changed the subject line which might keep your request from getting buried.

The cheese store is the Cheese Board. It is on Shattuck Avenue, across the street from Chez Panisse and on the same block as Andronico's. So you need to head back to University Avenue from Berkely Bowl.

It is another bad parking situation. I usually park in Andronico's. If the Andronico's parking police is out in force, I'll duck into Andronico's before going to the Cheese Board. I spend enough at Andronico's not to feel guilty for my brief stops at the Cheese board. If you are there at the correct time, try a slice of the pizza from the Cheese Board a few doors down. Long lines, but sometimes there's a piano player to help pass the time.

[Ruth Lafler]

Note: As Ciaohound may or may not know, the Cheeseboard is the progenitor of Arizmendi, which I know is a favorite of his. So if you like Arizmendi pizza ....