Homespun

September 27, 2000

Great Grapes!

Grapes are grown in various areas across the United States, but one species--the muscadine--is unique to the Southeast.

Thick vines, that can reach the tops of trees, bear purplish-black, reddish-black, or bronze (sometimes known as white) fruit.

The scuppernong, which is bronze, is the best known, and my personal favorite. The sweet nectar of the muscadines is prized for its distinctive flavor in wine, jelly, pie and juice.

I am sure I have told this story before but I can't help thinking about it this time of year, when the scuppernongs are getting ripe. My brother and I used to lie on a bank under the scuppernong vine and choose only the ones that had the deep- bronze color and were the sweetest. We didn't wash them, but I think we did wipe any spider webs or other debris off. Those were good times spent with my brother. Now, I still choose carefully from the vine, but I certainly can't lay down under it anymore!

For more information, click on the North Carolina Grape News and Events website. Hope you can find some local scuppernongs and enjoy these recipes.


SCUPPERNONG PIE

4 cups scuppernongs (about 2 pounds)

1 cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1½ tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

Crumb Topping

Rinse scuppernongs; drain well.

Remove skins from scuppernongs; separate and set both aside. Place pulp in a heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Press pulp through a sieve to remove seeds. Combine pulp, skins, sugar and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle Crumb Topping over pie. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes. Yield: one 9-inch pie.

CRUMB TOPPING

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine

Combine flour and sugar; stir well. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Yield: about 1 cup.


PEARS IN MUSCADINE SAUCE

2 to 3 cups muscadines

3 cups water

4 medium-size firm, ripe pears

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Rinse muscadines; combine muscadines and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat; mash muscadines with a potato masher. Strain through a jelly bag, reserving 1¼ cups juice; set aside.

Peel pears, leaving stems intact. Cut a thin slice from bottoms, so that pears stand upright. Place pears in a steamer in an upright position; cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until pears are tender.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan; gradually add reserved muscadine juice, stirring well. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Place pears in individual compotes; pour sauce over pears. Yield: 4 servings.


SCUPPERNONG ICE CREAM

6 cups scuppernongs (about 3 pounds)

2 (14 oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 quart half-and-half

Rinse and crush scuppernongs; place in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; mash scuppernongs with a potato masher, and strain through a jelly bag. Set aside 2 cups juice, and let cool completely. Reserve any remaining juice for other uses.

Combine reserved 2 cups juice and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir well.

Pour mixture into freezer can of a 1-gallon hand-turned or electric freezer. Freeze ice cream according to manufacturer's instructions. Let ripen about 2 hours before serving. Yield: ½ gallon.

This page created by Margie Yarnell, Extension Secretary/Webmaster.
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