Concords were the grapes of my childhood. They were grown all over the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York for jelly, juice, and Kosher wine. I outgrew concords and moved on to seedless grapes grown in California. Or so I thought. Lately I’ve been buying organic Washington-grown concord grapes.
Concord grapes belong to the labrusca species. They’re cold-tolerant, which is advantageous for upstate New York winters. Vinifera grapes are less tolerant to cold; however, grapes from this species are being grown more often in colder climates (global warming, anyone?). Labrusca-vinifera hybrids are becoming popular to grow in the Finger Lakes for wine.
Although my consumption of concord grape wine is limited to Passover Seders, I enjoy eating this variety of grapes. They’re more flavorful than the ubiquitous Thompson seedless (aka Thompson tasteless) variety. The seeds are a hindrance to some, but not to me. The skins also slip off easily if you’re averse to a purple tongue after consuming them. A small price to pay for grape-y goodness.
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