Muscadines are our native Southern grapes. Large fruited, spicy sweet, their thick skins come in shades of purple and bronze. The bronze varieties are often called scuppernongs, although that name properly refers only to the first named variety of muscadine, found growing wild in northeastern North Carolina in 1810.
Rachel Tali Kaplan, farm manager of Gaia Gardens in Decatur, tends about 300 feet of muscadine vines, a mix of varieties that bear bronze and purple fruit. She carried the grapes Thursday afternoons this fall to the East Atlanta Village Farmer’s Market. Unfortunately, her crop is through for this season, but muscadines are still available through other farmers and at local grocery stores.
Kaplan finds people from South generally recognize the fruit and then reminisce about their grandparents enjoying the grapes, while younger customers wonder if the fruits are actually a variety of cherry tomato. Kaplan gently educates them, offering samples and recognizing that it may take 2 or 3 visits before a customer will decide to make a purchase.
“I grew up in Maine and had never heard of or tasted a muscadine before I moved to Georgia," Kaplan said. "It took me a couple weeks of eating them to develop a fondness. Now I find that they have the most intensely grape flavor and I’m addicted to them.”
Cultivated muscadines are sweet and juicy. The seeds can be bitter, so Kaplan advises spitting them out, or just swallowing them whole.
One of the most wonderful things about muscadines is their heady fragrance. A small bowl can perfume your whole kitchen.
Muscadines will keep for up to a week in your refrigerator. Don’t wash until you’re ready to eat or cook with them. They’re high in vitamin C and each cup has about 100 calories.
What’s happening at local farmers markets
For sale
Fruit: apples, muscadines, pears
Vegetables and herbs: arugula, basil, beans, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, chard, chestnuts, collards, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, endive, frisee, garlic, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, mizuna, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, southern peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, summer squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tatsoi, turnips, winter squash
Cooking demo this week
9:30 a.m. Saturday, October 23, chef Kevin Rathbun, Rathbun's, Kevin Rathbun Steak, Krog Bar. Morningside Farmers' Market, Atlanta. For information: www.morningsidemarket.com .
From local reports
-----------------------------
Muscadine Ice
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes plus freezing time
Makes 1 quart
This is the easiest way I know to preserve the rich spicy flavor of muscadines. If you make this in an ice cream maker it will have the consistency of a sorbet. No ice cream maker? Then freeze it in a metal pan, stir it a few times while it’s freezing and you’ll end up something resembling a granita. Either way, it’s delicious.
3 pounds muscadines
1 cup water
1/2 (one half) cup orange juice
2/3 (two-thirds) cup granulated sugar
In a large saucepan, combine muscadines and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Take pan off heat and allow grapes to cool. Strain through cheesecloth and refrigerate juice until ready to use. You should have about 2 1/2 (two and a half) cups. This can be done up to 3 days ahead of time.
When ready to freeze, in a 2-quart measuring cup, combine reserved muscadine juice, orange juice and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s directions, or pour mixture into a metal pan, cover and freeze until mixture reaches consistency of sherbet, stirring occasionally while freezing.
Per 1/2-cup serving: 174 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), 1 gram protein, 46 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
