Apricots arrive early in the summer, after the almond and before the peach and cherry. Choose apricots that look ripe and have a lovely fruity smell. The stronger their colour, the sweeter the taste. Avoid apricots that are green and hard.
Apricots that are less ripe may be used for cooking, best roasted with vanilla sugar, which brings out their juices and creates a dense texture. If not cooked, apricots should be eaten at room temperature, never chilled. The apricot and almond tart is the summer version of our pear and almond tart, as apricots are the only summer fruit that cooks so well.
It is almost impossible to peel an apricot, and in any case much of the flavour is in the skin.