Tuesday, August 10, 2010








If you have ever had Welch's grape jelly, drank their purple grape juice or had their fruit snacks; then you've been eating Concord grapes.

Concord grapes are an old-time favorite of my parent's generation and not so readily available today. They are harvested in the U.S. and Canada in late August and early September. I love to grab handfulls and munch on them, they have such a unique and wonderful flavour. Grab a straw and you can spit the seeds at your closest nemesis. JK!

Seeded fruits should be a healthy part of your diet as Mother Nature intended. Eating grape seeds is very good for your body and I personally have never heard of anyone choking to death on a grape seed. Although uncommon... it is more likely for people to choke on whole grapes than their seeds.

WIKIPEDIA LINKS: GRAPE SEED EXTRACT | GRAPE SEED OIL

There is a variety of blue grape similar to the seeded Concord grape called Coronation and they are seedless. Same fantastic flavor and appearance without the seeds. The seedless Coronation variety will eventually surpass Concord sales as production increases.

When buying Concord or Coronation Grapes they should have a natural whitish powder on their skin (just like blueberries, apples, plums), this is a great indicator of their freshness. After grapes are harvested they lose their "powdery look" as they age and begin to look bland and dull.

Pick up a bunch of grapes and gently shake them, if a large percentage of fruit falls off (called "shatter") the bunch this is a sign of age. Not necessarily bad though if the fruit is still firm. Squeeze a grape between your fingers to ensure they are still firm, not soft and mushy. These two varieties get soft quickly and should be kept refrigerated or in your cold room.

The vine should be light brown or green, not shriveled or black in color. Occasionally you may see a moldy, brown, raisiny, wrinkled or greenish grape on a bunch, this is NORMAL and doe not mean the bunch is bad

If the grape bunches are sticky, this usually means the fruit is old or overripe and should be avoided unless you are making jam or wine. The "taste test" is alway best, pop one in your mouth and savor their wonderful flavour. You will not die from eating an unwashed grape!

5 comments:

  1. Where to buy Concord Grapes in Los Angeles please tell ????

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. The Canadian Concord Grape harvest is 10 days behind this season,expect these to be available closer to the end of September this year. Widely sold in the Los Angeles at Farmer's Markets, Gelsons, Ralphs, and TGL organic (http://www.tglorganic.com/) has home delivery. Melissa's supplies Concords to local retailers call 1.800.588.0151 and/or hotline@melissas.com to find a local store in your area.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am a Malaysian, where can I buy concord grape in Malaysia ?
    YK Lee

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am not sure they are available in Malaysia? I ship fruit to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore (cherries) and haven't ever had requests for concord, perhaps to pricey to fly-in by air.

    There is a similar grape grown in China (Black Ribier) that is reasonably priced and available in your market during this time of year. Quite delicious.

    Thanks for visiting...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi May i know now where can buy concord grape in malaysia or sg

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting the Produce Blog, I can be reached directly at info@produceblog.co if you require an immediate reply to your questions.