Muscadine Grapes

If you are from the South Eastern United States, muscadine grapes may be nothing new to you. The muscadine grape originates in the SE, but has naturally made its way as far North as Delaware.

The Muscadines were here far before the first Europeans arrived in the New World. Sir Walter Raleigh himself remarked on their prevalence and vigor in 1584-85. The first colonists took advantage of these native grapes and cultivated them.

Passing through North Carolina in late September? If so you have to come by the Muscadine Harvest Festival.

The Muscadine grape has a rich role in the history of North Caroline. Today, the unique flavor of the Muscadine grape is sought by wine lovers, and makes some of the best jams, jellies, and grape hull pie. It has also been recognized as the most natural healthful fruit in the world!

Join us in celebrating the heritage of the North Carolina state fruit, the Muscadine Grape!

WILD GRAPE DUMPLINGS (Seminole) Contributed by Mornin

Use Possum grapes when ripe in the fall. They grow in the woods and along creek banks. Cook ½ gallon wild possum grapes til they are boiling, using just enough water to cover. Strain through a clean sack. Make dumplings out of 12 cup grape juice, 2 cups flour, 2 tsps. baking powder and 1 tsp shortening. Stir grape juice into dry ingredients to make a stiff dough. Add a tbsp or two of grape juice if needed. Sweeten the boiling grape juice left and boil in juice.

NOTE: In Texas, we generally call the wild grapes "Mustang Grapes". They usually ripen in early summer and are very plentiful. I always gather plenty for grape juice to drink and to use in jelly making. This dessert is credited to the Seminoles, but the Chickasaws Choctaw, Comanches, and Cherokees in Texas and Oklahoma make equal use of this recipe and the wild grapes that grow so abundantly.

MUSCADINE GRAPE WINE (1) (Makes 1 Gallon)

* 6 lbs ripe Muscadine Grapes
* 2-1/4 lbs granulated sugar
* 3 qts water
* 1 tsp pectic enzyme
* 1 tsp yeast nutrient
* 1 crushed Campden tablet
* 1 packet Montrachet wine yeast

Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. While sugar-water is cooling, wash, destem and crush the grapes. Pour crushed grapes into nylon straining bag, tie securely, and put in primary. Pour water over grapes, add crushed Campden tablet and yeast nutrient, and cover primary securely. After 12 hours add pectic enzyme. Wait additional 12 hours and measure both specific gravity and acid. S.G. should be 1.090 or higher; acidity no higher than 7 p.p.t. tartaric. Correct S.G. if required by adding additional sugar. Correct low acid by adding acid blend and high acid by using one of three methods described following recipes. Add yeast, recover primary, and squeeze nylon bag lightly and stir must twice daily for about 5-7 days or until S.G. drops to 1.020. Press pulp well to extract liquid. Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock, and let stand 3 weeks. Rack and top up, then rack again in 2 months and again after additional 2 months. If wine has cleared, bottle. If not, wait until wine clears, rack again and bottle. This wine may be sweetened before bottling by stabilizing, waiting 10-12 hours, then adding 2/3 to 1-1/3 cup sugar-water per gallon (2 parts sugar dissolved in 1 part water). May taste after one year, but improves remarkably with age (2-4 years). [Author's recipe.]