Grapes are said to be the world's oldest cultivated fruit. These backyard grapes, the first crop from young vines, are of an unknown variety. Photo by Esther Oertel.
My husband and I harvested our first little crop of backyard grapes a week or so ago. After years of watering and tending the vines from seedlings to maturity, it was satisfying to see the colander filling with clusters of deep purple and pale green as we clipped them from beneath the leaves.
Tiny and flavorful, the grapes that didn’t get eaten out of hand got simmered with apple slices to extract juice for jelly making. The apples added their stores of pectin to the grapes, providing a boost of this natural thickener for the jelly.
The beautiful, rich juice now sits in my fridge awaiting its boiling in an open kettle for jelly. The juice is so deeply flavored that it’s been hard to let it sit undisturbed without chipping away at its volume with secret tastings.
We got the vines as seedlings a number of years ago when a friend planted a small vineyard for home wine production, gave his extra seedlings to another friend, who then passed on to us those that didn’t fit in her backyard.
As a consequence, I can’t say with 100 percent certainty which varietals we have. My best guess is that the vines are mostly Zinfandel, with a bit of chardonnay thrown in for good measure.
Whatever they are, the grapes proved to be absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait to taste the finished jelly on my morning toast a few days hence.
Man has enjoyed the wild grapes found on almost every continent since prehistoric times, and cultivation of them began in the far reaches of human history. It’s said that grapes are the earliest cultivated fruit.
Archaeologists estimate that grapes were farmed in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and parts of neighboring Syria, Iran and Turkey) as early as 6,000 B.C.
From there, cultivation spread to Egypt and Phoenicia (located where Lebanon is today), and by 2,000 B.C., they were carried across the Mediterranean to Greece and beyond by Phoenician galleys.
Winemaking was a primary use of these cultivated grapes, with the ancient Greeks being the first to make a serious practice of the art. Even so, their attempts had mixed results with no refrigeration, lack of proper sanitation and uncontrolled fermentation.
The Romans refined winemaking with an understanding of how soil, climate and pruning affect grape flavor. They also introduced proper filtration and storage.
The art of grape growing declined along with the Roman civilization; however, the church preserved the practice, particularly in medieval French and German abbeys, and viticulture gradually made a return.
Table, wine and raisin grapes come from the same family and genus, with about 60 species in existence. Within that, there are thousands of varieties, with hybridization occurring around the world to achieve new flavors, textures and levels of environmental stability.
Table grape cultivars tend to have large and (these days) seedless fruit with relatively thin skin, while wine grapes are smaller and sweeter with seeds and thicker skin, a benefit in the winemaking process.
Grape seeds are full of healthy phytochemicals, a good reason to enjoy grapes with them intact. The seeds from the little wine grapes we harvested had a pleasant crunch and didn’t interfere with overall flavor and sweetness; in fact, I thought they contributed to the richness of the experience.
While green, red and black grapes are the most commonly consumed color varieties in the U.S., the fruit comes in a swath of other colors, including amber, blue-black, crimson, pink and purple.
Local grapes are available now at farmers' markets. Shown are table grapes grown by Loasa Farms of Kelseyville, Calif. In 2010. Photo by Esther Oertel.
It should be noted that imported table grapes are among the twelve foods in which the highest levels of residual pesticides are found, so be cautious when consuming grapes grown outside our borders.
Raisin, a word loaned to us from the French, denotes any dried grape. A currant is a dried Zante Black Corinth grape, not to be confused with the red or black berries with the same name. Sultanas are white raisins, originally made from Sultana grapes from Turkey, but now made with any white grape variety.
Wild grapes are still found throughout the United States and other areas of the world.
The vines of these wild fruits twined throughout the trees on the upstate New York farm of my childhood, dangling luscious groupings of grapes just out of reach. My father attempted to harvest them one year by climbing a ladder propped against a tree. Despite his fervent effort, little was yielded, which may be the reason my mother refers to wild grapes as “clever."
Grapes are amazingly nutritious, and few fruits have garnered as much attention in health research literature. Each year, the list of grape’s health benefits grows, making it hard to keep up with the latest discoveries.
They’re phytonutrient rich, as well as having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular, blood sugar, cognitive, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-aging and longevity benefits.
In addition to this amazingly long list, they’re full of manganese, vitamin C, vitamin B1, potassium, and vitamin B6.
The best tasting grapes with the highest concentration of antioxidants are fully ripe ones. When ripe and ready to eat, grapes are plump, free of wrinkles, firmly attached to a healthy stem, with a uniform color and not leaking juice.
Store them in the fridge to prevent fermentation and spoilage at room temperature. If unwashed grapes are loosely wrapped in a paper towel and placed in an airtight container or plastic bag, they should stay fresh for about five days.
Frozen grapes make a fantastic snack in hot weather and can be a refreshing alternative to frozen desserts. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before storing in the freezer a zipper-sealed plastic bag.
Think twice before peeling grapes for recipes, as most of the nutrients are stored in the skin.
We all love grapes in fruit dishes, but they’re also wonderful in a variety of other creative salads.
For example, try them with figs, apricots, Gorgonzola or goat cheese and salad greens tossed in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Or mix them with yogurt, fresh grated ginger, banana, papaya and slivered almonds. Vary the taste by adding different fruits, like apples, raisins and berries.
Mix red, green, and purple or black grapes with a little honey, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest for a colorful grape salad.
Slice them in half and add them to Indian curry dishes. Since the phytonutrients in grapes deteriorate with heat, add them at the last minute, just before serving.
Today’s recipe is a variation on a green salad with grapes. Local grapes are available now at farmers’ markets, and if these can be had, then all the better. Enjoy!
Grape and arugula salad
1 cup seedless green grapes
4 cups baby arugula
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fennel (or substitute red or purple onion)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Wash arugula and grapes; dry in salad spinner or pat dry.
Arrange on individual plates with the onion and cheese.
Combine oil and lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
Drizzle dressing over individual salads.
Recipe is courtesy of The World’s Healthiest Foods at www.whfoods.org (with modifications by Esther Oertel).
Esther Oertel, the “Veggie Girl,” is a culinary coach and educator and is passionate about local produce. Oertel teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., and The Kitchen Gallery in Lakeport, Calif., and gives private cooking lessons. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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The grapes that survive being eaten from this newly-harvested batch will be made into jelly. Photo by Esther Oertel.
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