Grapes

Grapes According to archaeologists, grapes were one of the earliest cultivated fruits on Earth. Considered to be as old as the history of humankind, grapes originated in the Black Sea region, and spread rapidly to the Middle East. Best estimates are that grapes were cultivated in Mesopotamia as early as 6,000 BC! From there they spread eastward to Egypt, and by 2,000 BC the grapevines were being ferried across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and the world beyond.

In 1839, William Wolfskill from Kentucky planted the first vineyard of table grapes in California near what is today Los Angeles - he was the first person to ship grapes to Northern California gold miners!

In 1839, William Thompson was born in England. In 1863 he immigrated to the US where he grafted three vine cuttings of a grape variety called Lady de Coverly to California grapevines. With additional graftings, and over a four year period, the Thompson seedless grape was born - the most popular table grape today that is used for juice, wine and accounts for 95% of the raisins produced in California.

The fresh table grapes we offer are direct descendants of European varieties. Grapes are harvested only when fully ripe, so they should always be ready to eat when you buy them. Using a color guide to the sweetness of the fruit, green grapes should have a yellow cast or straw color with a touch of amber. Red grapes should be a deep crimson, and black grapes should be solid black in color. Freshness of grapes can be judged by the stem - the greener the stem, the fresher the grapes! Grapes are wonderful eaten out of hand and included in fresh fruit salads. They are a good source of Vitamins C and A, and contain good amounts of potassium. Grapes are always in season at J&J!

CHAMPAGNE GRAPES (Zante Grapes, Corinth Grapes)

Champagne Grapes

The first raisins were most likely sun-dried - 3,000 years ago, or so - grapes were harvested and laid in the sun to dry - a process that continues today. The Champagne Grape, Zante Grape or black Corinth Grape are enjoyed fresh as more growers offer this fabulous grape. The source of the dried currant is the champagne grape - a nutritious - great source of B vitamins, iron and potassium - high fiber food that was a precious trade item in the ancient Near East and Rome. Currants and raisins were brought to Mexico and California in the 18th century, and today the San Joaquin valley of California produces almost all of the commercially grown raisins, and represents about half of the total world supply! The raisin industry in California boomed in the late 1800's after a severe heat wave dried the grapes on the vine.

Currants from the Corinth Grapes are seedless and very dark in color - about ¼ the size of other raisins. They are labeled "Zante Currants", which refers to the Greek island where the Corinth first grew. The name Zante is the name of a tiny island off of Greece, and the black Corinth is named after the ancient city of Corinth.

The petite champagne grape is very elegant, and stands on its own eaten fresh,or added to fresh fruit and vegetable salads. It is high in sugar and has a very unique flavor. Handle this delicate grape with care - drape a small cluster on the side of a wine glass for that special occasion. Put a whole cluster of the champagne grape in your mouth and enjoy its crisp texture and sweet taste.