California
Grapes
Goodness Grapecious
Color, taste, texture and nutrition. Grapes have a
reputation for being a good snack food, eaten by the
handful, with no preparation necessary. But they are
surprisingly flexible in recipes, holding their own raw
or cooked. They add a sweetness and gentle acidity
that highlights other flavors much as a squeeze of fresh
lemon brightens almost any food.
It’s the vibrant green, red or blue-black color that
signals the presence of the health benefits of phyto-nutrients, the natural defenders against disease.
D60 calories in 1 cup
DSaturated fat free
DCholesterol free
DHigh in antioxidant vitamin C
Easy to Buy and Store
Look for plump grapes, with rich color, firmly
attached to the stem. Don’t mind a little dust. It’s
actually“bloom, ” anaturalprotectionagainst
decay and loss of moisture.
Grapes are picked ripe and will not ripen any further,
so store them in the refrigerator and they will keep
for a week or so. Don’t wash them until you’re ready
to eat them.
Here are a few of the more than 50 varieties of
California table grapes available at different times
from May through February.
Green Varieties
DThompson seedless
D Perlette
Red Varieties
DFlame seedless
DRed globe
Blue-Black Varieties
DBeauty seedless
D Ribier
The California Grape Growers: Delano Farms, Fowler
Packing, Kirschenman, Four Star Fruit, Stevco
