Pickled Grapes

This recipe came to be from 2 sources. I tasted them when my friend Jen brought them to a party. They are one of the most unusual treats I have experienced in a long time. They are just lightly pickled, and the grapes retain enough of their texture that they gently burst in your mouth when you bite down.

Of course, I had to ask for the recipe ! She sent me a link to an NPR site, but the orignator of the recipe was Mollie Wizenberg, and her blog is http://orangette.blogspot.com. And they are fairly simple to make, except for the trimming of the grapes. Even with that, it only took about a half hour to prepare. This might be a weekly treat for us....well, for awhile anyway!

Pickled Grapes

1 pound seedless red grapes (works best with smaller grapes)

1 cup white wine vinegar (I also used regular white vinegar and they were fine)

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon salt

Rinse and dry the grapes, remove them from the stems. Cut just a small part of the top part off (where the stem was) to expose some of the "flesh". Place grapes into a glass bowl and set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately pour the mixture over the grapes. Stir the grapes well and let them come to room temperature.
Cover the bowl, or put the grapes in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and let them marinate at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve cold.