Chef Kathy Gunst Has Grape Expectations With 3 Recipes Ripe For Harvest Season
You know the season is shifting when sweet, plump red, green and black grapes appear on the vine. They signal harvest time and colder weather. Although grapes are generally eaten raw, they are also excellent roasted and tossed into salads, simmered up into condiments, salsa, used to top pizza, flatbread and focaccia, or tarts and pies.
Grapes are primarily grown in California and Washington state. There are many types — from purple-hued Concord grapes to red and green table grapes and many varieties of wine grapes. They also grow wild all over the country, dripping from the ends of long vines that grow from bushes to trees.
One of the great treats of late summer/early fall is to pick wild grapes and make a simple jelly to serve with cheese platters or use for an elevated pairing of the classic PB and J.
When shopping for grapes look for plump, firm fruit with unbroken skin. Grapes should be firmly attached to the stems and the color — whether green, red or purple — should be bright. Grapes are best
