Grapes Galore

She told me she pruned it back fiercely this spring, but the rambunctious plant went right back at it, continuing to stretch heavenward.

Such is the way of grapevines. Once they get going, they’re gone. I’m looking forward to when mine grow enough to make a living ceiling over the arbour on the south side of my house. This versatile plant has many uses, including value as a privacy screen, for shade purposes, vine prunings for weaving baskets, wreaths and swags, and food value from both leaves and fruit.

One of the most important factors in planting grapes is to place them in a sunny area with thorough air circulation and good drainage. You don’t want them to develop mildew from being squished in with other plants. Grapes are also real miners when it comes to sending roots down, sometimes to depths of three feet or more. Supply them with deeply worked soil amended with plenty of organic matter and coarse sand for drainage. Pruning is of utmost importance in early spring. Do it before the vine leafs out to prevent excessive bleeding. Cut the vine back to one or two main stems and minimize the leaf axils coming off them. One of the most popular and hardy grapes grown in the Maritimes is the Concord. This cultivar has been known to reduce hypertension and the negative side effects of secondhand smoke.

An interesting recipe I came across for using the fruit of this vine is grape pie. You have to have a lot of patience to undertake this project however because the grapes have to be peeled!

You’ll need five and a half cups Concord grapes, one-cup sugar, one-tablespoon tapioca and pastry for a nine-inch pie.

Pop the skins off the grapes by pinching them at the end opposite the stem and set them aside. Put the pulp (without water) into a heavy pan, bring it to a boil, and let it boil five to six minutes. Put it through a colander or food mill to remove the seeds. Pour the hot pulp over the skins and let the mixture sit for five hours. This colors the pulp and makes it pretty. Add the sugar and tapioca then pour the mixture into the piecrust and dot with butter. Place a circle of dough slightly smaller than the diameter of the pie as the top crust to make a pretty purple ring around the edge. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and cook 20 minutes more until the crust is browned and the juice begins to bubble up.