How to Choose, Store and Eat Grapes
For most of the country, this is the grape season, the season for the fruit that is highly underestimated. Most of us have access to grapes all year round, but fall is when it really shines. And whether you’re taking the more unusual seasonal grapes or just enjoying the standard green table grapes, you must harvest, wash, and store them with care to maximize their lifespan and enjoy them.
How to choose them
Technically, grapes are a berry, but (luckily) one of the least fragile berries. However, there are some steps you can take to get the tastiest and most durable bunch of grapes on the market.
Look at the stem first. It should be green and pliable, and the grapes should be firmly attached and not appear wrinkled or moldy when they meet. Then look and feel the grapes. You want them to be firm, plump, and – again – attached to the stem. Loose soft grapes bouncing at the bottom of the bag can promote mold and rot, and you don’t want low-quality fruit to affect the weight of the bag (and the price of the bunch). Red and black grapes should be smooth, rich and dark in color; green grapes should have a yellowish tint. They should also appear to be covered in fine, silvery dust; this is the so-called “bloom”, it protects the grapes from insects, bacteria and seals in their moisture. The flowering begins to fade after the grape is harvested, so the more it blooms, the fresher your grapes are.
How to store them
Most grapes are sold in well-ventilated bags, which are actually the perfect container for storing your grapes. If you buy grapes in bulk, you may have to bring them home in paper or standard plastic bags, neither of which are ideal for storing grapes. If this sounds like the scenario you’re faced with or are facing, simply transfer them to a well-ventilated container, such as a colander with a clean tea towel draped over it or a loose freezer bag. Store grapes in the fresh vegetable drawer, which is damp but not wet, and keep them away from foods with strong odors (for example, half an onion that needs to be consumed).
While moisture is a good thing for grapes, actual water droplets are the enemy, as excess moisture can stimulate mold and rot growth, so don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat them. Just rinse them with cold water ( no soap or bleach please !) And place them on a paper towel to absorb any drops before serving.
How to eat them
To enjoy grapes, just put them in your mouth and chew them. If you want to get creative, you can lacto-ferment them with a little salt to create an effervescent grape brine . If you’ve missed their main meal and they start to get a little mushy, don’t worry (and don’t throw them away). Freezing them will turn them into an ice cold treat, or you can make a cheese plate out of them or make a lamb neck out of them . If you want another fun grape-related activity you can always try and see how much you can fit in your mouth in one go, although honestly this is a dangerous game that you shouldn’t play. (My record is 23.)