Apricot Nectar

1. In a large saucepan, put apricots and water.
2. Bring the water with apricots to simmer and lessen down heat to medium.
3. Allow to simmer for about half an hour or until apricots are very soft and completely mashed.
4. Let the mixture pass through the mesh while pressing the apricots through the mesh with a spoon. Place a large bowl beneath to collect the puree.
5. You will end up with puree and liquid in the bowl.
6. Keep pressing through the mesh until there is no more puree dripping. Too much apricot puree is not needed as it will result in brownish nectar.
7. Include agave syrup, sugar, and lemon juice and mix for a couple of minutes.
8. If you want to preserve the nectar, dispense it into a canning jar and place in a large pan of boiling water. Make sure the whole jar is completely dished in water and let boil for about 20 minutes.
9. Remove the jar from hot water, let it cool, and stock for up to 6 months in a cool place without moisture.

Trivia

• In North America, fresh apricots are accessible year-round. From May through August, the fruit is found in abundance in California and Washington. The rest of the supply comes from South America.
• The fruit is from the rose family and looks similar to peach and plum.
• The apricot is called praecocquum in Latin, which translates "early-maturing peach."
• In Asia, apricots were introduced over 4,000 years back, moving to Persia and the Mediterranean before Spanish travelers conveyed them to the United States.

In China, apricots were once called "moons of the faithful" and were thought to improve fertility in women.