All About Grapes & How to Use Grapes in Sweet and Savory Recipes Page

  10/03/2023 at 18:02 pm

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All About Grapes (And How to Use Grapes in Sweet and Savory Recipes)

Fun Facts About Grapes

Depending on who you ask, there are between 8,000 and 17,000 varieties of grapes around today—that’s a lot of grapes! But it’s not surprising when you consider that people have been cultivating these berries for thousands of years to make wine. Wait a second—did you say berries? Yep, grapes are technically berries, botanically speaking. Grapes are also a super-healthy snack because they contain a unique combination of nutrients: Resveratrol and oligomeric procyanidins (otherwise known as OPC), which aid blood flow and prevent diseases of the circulatory system. Just make sure not to choose seedless grapes—all that good stuff is in the seeds!

Here Are Some of the Best Ways to Enjoy Grapes as a Treat and In Recipes

Grapes might not seem like the most versatile food at first glance. These sweet and satisfying little fruits are great for snacking, and that’s how most of us enjoy them. But you might be surprised to hear all the ways you can put grapes to good use!

Grapes Are a Healthy Snack: How to Choose the Best Grapes

Having a healthy snack is simple if you have a bunch of grapes on hand! All you need to know is how to choose the best grapes and how to clean them before snacking. In order to find the best grapes at the market, here’s what to look for: Grapes should be plump, firm, and firmly attached to pliable stems. If the stems are brittle, those aren’t the best grapes! They should not be wet, moldy, discolored, bruised, or shriveled up around the stem. Once you’ve picked your grapes, just rinse them off under cool water and you’re ready for a snack! Grapes will last longest when they’re stored in the crisper drawer in your refrigerator.

What to Do with Too Many Grapes

Want to get creative with a surplus of grapes? Try out some of the delicious recipes we’ve picked out for you below. And if you really have a surplus, you can always freeze them!

 

Frozen Grapes

Freezing grapes is easy—just remove them from the stems, rinse them, dry them with a paper towel, and lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop the tray in the freezer. After a few hours, you can transfer the frozen grapes to a freezer bag and store them for up to a year. 

Lots of people enjoy snacking on frozen grapes, but there are lots of creative ways to use frozen grapes in recipes, from smoothies to cakes and frosé

 

Savory Recipes with Grapes

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Grape and Caper Salsa 

Classic Minnesota Wild Rice Salad

Grilled Flank Steak with Grapes and Stilton

Grandma Z’s Crunch Salad 

 

Sweet Recipes with Grapes

Creamy Grape Salad

Grape Clafoutis (A Classic French Dessert)

Grape “Nice Cream

Grape Compote

 

Bonus! Some of our favorite products made with grapes and how to use them:

Grapeola Grape Seed Oil

Grapeola Grape Seed Oil is a neutral-flavored oil that is high in vitamin E and has a high smoke point. That means it’s great for cooking and for use in salad dressings too!

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Concord Grape Jelly

Try this mouthwatering Concord Grape Jam on buttered toast, a classic PB&J, or in these Coconut Grape Jam Bars

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Orlando Grape Leaves

Orlando Grape Leaves come in jars of different sizes and are perfect for making your own dolmas at home.

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Tunas Grape Molasses

Tunas Grape Molasses is a unique ingredient most famously used in Greek Grape Molasses Cookies, but it can also be used as a less acidic substitute for Balsamic vinegar in dressings, or drizzled over crostini with fresh cheese. Yum!

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Shop Now

We have fresh, ripe Green Seedless Grapes and Red Seedless Grapes in stock now!

 

By HarvesTime Foods