Grapes

In the Bible we are told that one of the first things Noah did when he emerged from the ark was to plant a vineyard and it seems that they were being grown in Egypt as long ago as 2,500 B.C. By the Roman Empire got going about a thousand years later grapes were being grown for wine and also dried and eaten cooked in various dishes as well of course as dessert fruit. It was mixed with honey to make muslem – a sort of aperitif served with the first course. Unripe grape juice, known as verjuice, was also used in cooking much as we use vinegar. Nowadays vine leaves are used in Greek cookery and oil for cooking is made from the seeds.

The species Vitis vinifera has spread over much of the world, but there are other species.  Vitus labrusca used to grow all over the north east part of America and may have been the reason that early Viking explorers called it Vinland. Of coures, grapes are highly nutritious and have cancer preventing qualities due to their high antioxidant content too. Here are a couple of grape based recipes:

Citrus Grape Sauce
This is delicious with fish fillets

1 tablespoon corn flour
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup range juice
The juice of a lemon
½ cup cold water
A can mandarin pieces, drained
1 cup seedless grapes

Push the grapes through a sieve and then discard the skins. Combine all the ingredients except the corn flour and heat to boil and then simmer for a minute or so. Mix a large spoonful of this sauce with the corn flour and then return to main pan and cook for 3 minutes or so, stirring until thickened.