Sunday, September 04, 2016

From the Vine: Mosaic Monday



One of the last fruits to ripen is the grape. I think it's one of the prettiest, too. These grow along the fence and are actually our neighbour's vines, but we are welcome to the clumps that grow on our side. We've planted our own vines and I hope that in the next year or two we'll be harvesting from them. 
Meanwhile, I've been eyeing the globes over the past couple of weeks, watching them fatten and grow dusky purple. I'd pick one and pop it into my mouth, judging the sweetness until it came time to cut them.


These jars don't look much like grapes, but they are! Rather than press the juice, strain it, and let it settle before canning it, I tried an old-fashioned way this year. After washing the grapes I plunked them into quart jars, poured boiling water over top, sealed the jars and processed them. In a month or so, the liquid will have turned dark purple, and we'll have grape juice! No sugar added, for the grapes are sweet enough. We like it mixed with some club soda for a refreshing drink.



Fourteen quarts of grapes in the canner and there were still more. A little internet exploration brought up variations on Grape Focaccia Bread. I tried it last night when our in-town children and grandchildren came over for dinner. Half of the bread is missing the blue cheese, as half of us don't really like it. (I think it added a lot of flavour.)

You can find my version of the recipe here, or do a search to find one that suits you. Salty, sweet, crunchy, aromatic - this fits the bill. The most time-consuming part was seeding the grapes, and even that didn't take too long.



Grapes - such pretty things. Do you grow them? What do you do with them? 

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

34 comments:

  1. Lorrie, your images are gorgeous! I've never grown grapes, but my mother always did. The grape focaccia bread looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Mmm, the focaccia looks amazing, will have to try that! Beautiful photos, and I love the new header. MM is having a few teething problems this week, possibly because I'm, in a strange location (the Midlands)and the internet is slooow! So glad you were able to join in this week.

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  3. Fabulous photos, Lorrie! I may need to pin the grape collage. :)
    There are new cultivars that might survive in our climate too, but I haven't tried them yet. Some grow grapes in greenhouses, I suppose.
    Have a lovely new week!

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  4. So delicious Lorrie! The collage is stunning!!!!

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  5. We grew grapes in France, and it was such a thrill to see the fruits gradually turning that lovely grape colour. Here, they would be fine in a greenhouse, but I don't really have the room. I like your idea of making grapejuice.

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  6. How gorgeous those grapes are. So plump! The idea of natural grape juice is exciting. And the focaccia looks fabulous. Our friend in Jordan sent me home with a piece of his grape vine to plant but it didn't grow for me. I think I waited too long to plant it. Have a great new week.

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  7. Hello Lorrie, the grapes looks delicious. I am sure the grape juice is great too. The bread look yummy, I wish I could try a piece with my coffee now. Beautiful photos! Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!

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  8. Wow! I got a lesson on grapes! Gorgeous images and the focaccia looks delicious (I'd take the blue cheese.). Happy Monday. Have a great week!

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  9. Lorrie, Those grapes look delicious. I ate my first container of Concord grapes this week. I always look forward to them arriving in the grocery store. Thanks for sharing. Sylvia D.

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  10. What a cool way to make grape juice! I would also eat the focaccia with blue cheese. Happy Labour Day and best of luck with the first day of classes!

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  11. That focaccia looks divine!

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  12. Well I am trying to grow them, lol! Last year was the third year for the vine so it produced a bit...just enough for eating and no more. This year is about the same!

    A LONG time ago, when my kids were young, I had a grapevine and had made juice...maybe here, next year ! :) I had not heard of this way to do it on your blog....that's interesting!

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  13. Hubby would love to grow grapes out our way. And if we had the room, it might work for a vine or two.

    What fun you've had with your own grape experiments. A lovely way to make grape juice, and your focaccia looks fabulous. I'd add the blue cheese too.

    Thanks for sharing your grape adventures. Wishing you a great week...

    Brenda xox

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  14. Beautiful, edible beads you've jarred for juice and baked on bread, Lorrie! Grapes are so versatile, aren't they? Enjoy your harvest!

    Happy Labour Day!
    Poppy

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  15. We have grapes 'hugging' the house and so many of them this year! We tend to leave the fruits for the birds and use the leaves for Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) which are a family favourite. I need to get freezing them to eat during the winter months!! xx

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  16. What beautiful bread! There are so many ways to use grapes that many don't think about. I grew them in NC and we usually got so many at one time, that we made juice out of most of them. (and froze much of it) I like your new banner with the pretty pumpkin in the center! Hugs!

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  17. Anonymous1:44 PM

    Grape Focacia Bread! It looks fantastic. Lovely mosaics!

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  18. The grapes certainly are plump and delicious looking, an interesting method with the fruit in jars to make juice.
    We buy our grapes and there are plenty that become available here from the Niagara region.

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  19. Grapes do not grow well here. My aunt and uncle grow Concord grapes in Connecticut and that always seemed exotic to me. I do love delicious grape juice and your foccacia bread looks amazing.

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  20. How wonderful to have grapes vines! They will not grow here in the land of hail and grazing wild critters. We really enjoyed visiting vineyards in California and Northern Long Island NY. My husband made red wine with his father for many years but they bought the grapes. Fond memories for him. Your grape juice and foccacia look fabulous--I'd take a slice from the blue cheese side!

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  21. I would love some grape vines, a favorite fruit. They are like mini juice boxes! The idea of grape juice in a few months sounds wonderful!

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  22. They photos are just lovely and the process you share sounds yummy!

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  23. Oh my, they looks gorgeous and delicious. We have a different variety that grows just OK on our back fence. Jim took some starts from our plants to our church and they are growing wild. Before and after church last Sunday everyone was gathering by the grapes and nibbling. It was quite a fun sight. Jim may pick some of them tomorrow and bring them home. I was thinking jelly, but the juice sounds amazing.

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  24. That brad looks so pretty and delish ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  25. Ooops! I meant bread ♥

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  26. Oh what a great idea for the juice - now I wish I had grape vines. Hmmm, wonder if they would grow up along the edge of our deck. The bread looks fabulous - great recipe.

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  27. Dearest Lorrie; Wow, I've never grown any fruit and I admire how you enjoy them♡♡♡ I LOVE your wonderful mosaic with your delicious looking grapes ♫♫♫

    Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in Canada, xoxo Miyako*

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  28. Oh how I wish our grapes were like yours!!! Ours are hard and sour! You have certainly made wonderful use of them in many delicious ways. Hope you enjoy the grape juice, that sounds especially good! xx

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  29. I had a grape vine, but we cut it out because it did not produce and I could not get it trained to the trellis and it was in a poor spot. So it went. Your harvest looks wonderful. You processed them in an interesting way. My dad grew grapes and mom went to a lot of work to can the juice. You make it very simply. I like that. On another not, I am glad that you have the privilege to teach Romeo and Juliet. I sometimes feel that Shakespeare is ruined for students because teachers take him so seriously spoiling the fun of his works. Nor do they make his timeless classics relevant to modern students. Have you seen Franco Zephirelli's movie (1967)? His film was the first time that age appropriate actors played the parts of Romeo and Juliet. I know your students would enjoy it; however, it does have nudity that may not be appropriate in classroom, and you might not want to show the entire film. Youtube will have some some scenes from the film. I know that you will have a great experience. So thank you for your kind comments on my post.

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  30. We just picked grapes from up at the farm and I made a batch of jelly! They are sweet though on their own. However, the jelly has great flavor. The vines are ratty looking and I didn't even think there were grapes there this year until I dug. I had just enough for one batch. Your jars of them are wonderful.

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  31. Now that sounds interesting...grape focaccia bread! And why is it that I am now heading out to the garden to eat grapes?

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  32. Your photos of the grapes are simply delicious! The focaccia sounds very yummy as well. I don't grow grapes, but I love them nevertheless - as wine!

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  33. Well, I popped over to see your latest post and scrolled down when I saw the photos of your grapes! Oh my, how gorgeous they are! I think the juice will be just wonderfully delicious, especially with a bit of club soda and the bread sounds fabulous! Beautiful, beautiful grapes...and no, I've never grown them...but I've made quite a few grapevine wreaths. Does that count for anything? lol

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  34. Such beautiful photos!

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