Vegan Practically

I’m not sure if it’s just me, but lately the grapes seem bigger, firmer (without being hard), and more tasty. Whether red or green, over the past few months I’ve had some absolutely delectable grapes that are the size of small plums. In case there are any people out there who are still “meh” about grapes but haven’t tried them in awhile, I’m making them my Fun Friday topic today.

It’s not as if I haven’t had grapes before. But they didn’t really do anything for me. And they didn’t make their way onto my grocery list with any regularity. One reason for that is the expense. Grapes are the sort of thing that seem like a great idea until you’re at the cash and they get weighed. Next thing you know they’re ringing up at over $10. So there’s that.

But also, they used to be a lot more unpredictable. Like, I’d bring home my $10+ bunch of grapes, give them a good rinse, and then try one. A number of things can go wrong from there. They can be sour. They can have seeds when they’re not supposed to. They can be too soft. They can have that funny chalky or even bitter taste to them from the white powder called “bloom” that the plant itself produces as a protective coating. Yuck.

Considering how expensive the grapes are, it’s not the sort of thing I like to play hit-or-miss with. But lately I haven’t had that issue. Yes of course sometimes they’re visibly not a good choice. But those plump juicy grapes I’ve been buying in recent months have always been as perfect as they look. None of that yucky aftertaste. Always just the right amount of sweetness without overdoing it (I am not a fan of the “cotton candy” grapes, which to me don’t even taste like grapes).

With this new string of good luck where my grapes are concerned, they have made it into my shopping cart a couple of times a month since mid-summer. I still gasp a little bit when the price comes up, but I can make other adjustments to my purchases along the way to balance that out, as so many of us are having to do these day. As an example, grapes can replace other types of snacks (things you might call “junk food”) for a good few days.

There is apparently a technique to washing grapes beyond just rinsing them around in a colander under running water. If you want to get rid of the bloom, baking soda is recommended. Since the bloom is what protects them and keeps them good for longer, it’s not a great idea to remove it until you’re ready to enjoy your grapes. The article suggests that if you keep them dry and in a ventilated plastic bag you can store them in a very cold part of the fridge for up to three weeks. If my grapes last three days that’s kind of a miracle, so I haven’t had to worry about them spoiling.

Sometimes grapes go on sale. Indeed, I think my re-discovery of them coincided with a sale, when the risk per dollar was low enough to reduce the gamble.

Whether red or green, it doesn’t matter. In fact, if I didn’t know which I was eating, I’m not sure I’d be able to tell just by taste and texture. If you haven’t tried the big grapes, I encourage you to do so at the next opportunity.

Bon Appétit!