Paper Palate

So many grapes, so little time. That’s my first thought after reading this article by the Sacramento Bee’s produce expert, Michael Marks. The first one featured is a grape that I have never heard of before: the Princess grape. Marks informs us that this grape is so large that it “looks like a Thompson seedless on steroids.” The Princess grape is “a cross between a muscat, from which it gets tons of flavor, and a Thompson, from which it gets the seedless part.” Other than its size, the Princess grape is distinguished from its peers by its crunchiness.

Second, Marks highlights a grape with a name that is certainly interesting: the Black Corinth (also known by the not-as-exciting name of Champagne grape). This one is distinguished by its tiny size and the fact that it is the sweetest grape grown on earth (up to 23 percent sugar content). For that reason, it is “marketed as a Champagne grape.” If you have had currants, you have probably had a Black Corinth grape. Marks shares another interesting fact about this grape: “The Champagne grape is 100 percent edible, stem and all. Just pop a small cluster in your mouth and prepare for a grape flavor explosion.”

[Photo from Melissa’s Farm Fresh Produce]