It's Muscadine Time!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Muscadines are ripening on vines across the South and we coudln't be more excited. We are so excited, infact, that we are featuring muscadines in two of our meals this week! Known as the South's wild grapes, muscadines are larger than other grape varieties. They have a thick, crisp skin and come in a variety of shades. They are chock full of antioxidants and best of all - they taste great! 

The uses for muscadines are endless. This week, we are using them in two different ways. In our Fried Chicken dish, you'll enjoy the sweet grape in a tangy salad with green beans & peanuts. For the Pork Chop dish, you'll seed and smash the muscadines then reduce them into a delicious gastrique (did you just think, what's a gastrique? There's a blog for that!)

The seeds of a muscadine are absolutely safe to eat and tout many health benefits, but if you like a little less crunch with your grapes, you'll want to remove the seeds. Each grape generally has no more than 4 seeds. Simply slice the muscadines in half (click here for a gamechanging way to cut small round things) then pop the seeds out. It's that easy!

Not a fan of the skin? Here's an easy trick to quickly peel muscadines: Simply use a small knife to cut an X at one end of the grape then squeeze the other end until the naked grape pops right out. (Pro Tip: The skin is delicious and packed with nutrients)

If this is your first season enjoying muscadines, we welcome you to the grape-loving club!