How to Purchase Green & Purple Muscadine Grapes

Muscadine Grape Vine

Muscadines are a close biological cousin of the common grape most easily recognized in grocery stores. These thick-skinned, wild fruits are most popular in the southeastern United States, where they grow most abundantly, but their popularity is spreading across the US thanks to the work of muscadine cultivars. The inner flesh of the muscadine has a flavor and texture that is quite distinctive and palatable. Picking a good bunch of muscadine is not a difficult task, if you know what to look for.

Instructions

1. Pick a container of muscadines that are plump and shiny. Whether black (usually called muscadines) or green (usually called scuppernongs), the fruits should be full and fragrant. They should push back a little if squeezed. Also, fresh muscadines will bounce if dropped.

2. Examine the container for fruits that are hard. These are unripe and will taste very bitter. Also, avoid fruits that are too soft, mushy or smell slightly of alcohol. These are very overripe and close to spoilage. You want a container of uniformly ripe muscadines.

3. Taste one, if possible. The skin should be somewhat tough and may or may not be eaten, depending on your preference. The flesh should be translucent and very firm, yet juicy, sweet and flavorful. There will be a few, inedible seeds that should just be spit out.

4. Avoid grapes that have a dry stem scar. This will appear as a brown, crusty, sunken area in the muscadine. Though it may not affect the flavor of the muscadine, it is certainly unattractive for serving presentation.

References

• Why Consumer Buy Fresh Muscadine Grapes
• Muscadine Cultivar Selection for the Fresh Market