The New Complete Book of Food



Buying This Food

Look for: Plump, well-colored grapes that are firmly attached to green stems that bend easily
and snap back when you let them go. Green grapes should have a slightly yellow tint or a pink
blush; red grapes should be deep, dark red or purple.

Avoid: Mushy grapes, grapes with wrinkled skin, and grapes that feel sticky. They are all
past their prime. So are grapes whose stems are dry and brittle.

Characteristics of Different Varieties of Grapes

Red grapes

Cardinal Large, dark red, available March–August

Emperor Large red with seeds. September–March

Flame Seedless, medium to large, red. June–August

Ribier Large, blue-black, with seeds. July–February

Tokay Large, bright red, seeds. August–November

Queen Large, bright to dark red, seeds. June–August

White grapes

Almeria Large, golden. August–October

Calmeria Longish, light green. October–February

Perlette Green, seedless, compact clusters. May–July

Thompson Seedless, green to light gold. June–November

Source: The Fresh Approach to Grapes (United Fruit & Vegetable Association, n.d.).

Storing This Food

Wrap grapes in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. Do not wash grapes until you
are ready to use them.

Preparing This Food

To serve fresh grapes, rinse them under running water to remove debris, then drain the
grapes and pick off stems and leaves.
To peel grapes (for salads), choose Catawba, Concord, Delaware, Niagara, or Scup-
pernong, the American varieties known as “slipskin” because the skin comes off easily. The
European varieties (emperor, flame, Tokay, Muscat, Thompson) are more of a challenge. To

Grapes