Friday, January 6, 2017

Kyoho Grapes: A Gourmet Treat

By Ryan Anderson


You may have encountered the Japanese sensation, giant mountain grapes, without knowing what a delicacy they are. If you have seen huge, blackish purple grapes in a specialty store, you may have seen Kyoho grapes, the most popular dessert fruit in Japan. Today the ones you see might come from California.

The grape is a familiar fruit to Americans. In fact, one of the two families of grape is native to the Americas; the other kind comes from Europe. The Kyoho grape shares many characteristics with our native Concord variety. Each has a dark purple color, pale yellow flesh, and a slip-skin, which readily separates from the flesh. Both kinds are seeded. When both are eaten, the bitter skin and seeds are usually discarded.

The Kyoho is a cross between the American concord and a European type. It is sweeter than most grapes and more flavorful than the red or green table grape most people are familiar with. A bowl of peeled, chilled Kyohos is considered a delicacy by gourmets around the world.

The East Coast grape industry was founded on the Concord grape, but growers in California found that European vines did better in the California climate. Since most of our table grapes come from the Golden State, people have become accustomed to seedless greens and reds. However, many prefer the native kind for jelly making; although the skin and seeds are bitter, they impart distinctive flavor to the jelly.

If you can remember the taste of old-fashioned grape jelly, you have an idea of what the Kyoho tastes like. Most of the fruit grown in Japan and elsewhere is eaten peeled and chilled as a dessert. California growers have successfully imported and propagated the Kyoho vines and are now marketing this prized fruit.

If your local market has these delicacies, there are some tips to selecting the ripest, freshest fruit. The best bunches are well-shaped, with grapes of almost uniform size. They should be dark blackish purple in color, and glossy, not dull. The fruit should be firm, not hard like a rock. According to some, you should avoid bunches with soft or shriveled fruit, but others find that a little shriveling of the skin, which will be discarded anyway, makes the inside sweeter than ever.

If serving the fruit with cheeses, chefs advise saltier ones, like the aged blue cheeses. You may want to leave the skin on if there is a display. You can advise your guests to slip the skins off before biting into the golden flesh. Seeds can be discreetly spit out into your hand or a napkin. Hey - like eating a watermelon, right?

These grapes are packed with nutrition, including the reservatrol that is said to be so heart-healthy. They are mainly eaten but can be turned into jam, juice, and wine. They have a high sugar content, so keep them refrigerated until ready to serve. They are usually served chilled. If you get a bunch that is not ripe, just let it sit at room temperature and the grapes will ripen quickly.




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