GRAPES
Wine is generally destiny for grapes. It seems that
was why we first began cultivating them and (mostly) why we still do.
Some 76,000 square kilometres (about 47,225 square miles) of Earth’s
surface is dedicated to grape growing and over 70% of the harvest is for
wine-making. In the kitchen, grapes are typically more garnish than
main event, but you can make delicious jams, and jellies, cakes and
tarts with them. Most of us however are happy to pick them from the
bunch, serve them with cheese or add them to salads and fruit salads. To
expand the culinary repertoire, we have included two recipes by Kate
McGhie in the Good Carbs Kitchen to try: Pork Meatballs with Fresh
Grapes and Wild Rice with Fresh Grapes, Walnuts and Feta.
New season’s grapes start arriving in the produce aisles in
summer. Taste one to check for sweetness as they don’t continue to ripen
once they have been picked. Look for bunches as inviting as those in a
still-life painting: plump fruit attached to moist flexible stems. The
powdery bloom, more visible on dark-coloured grapes than on pale ones,
is an important sign of freshness; it fades with time and handling.
Avoid any sticky, split or wrinkled grapes on withered or limp stems.
It’s also worth smelling them to make sure they aren’t starting to
ferment. Store unwashed grapes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and
rinse just before using or eating. They should keep for about a week.
It’s fun to freeze little bunches to make “grape blocks” for children to
snack on.
Sources
AusFoods, 2019 and The Good Carbs Cookbook (Murdoch Books)
