We had Boys' mom and her neighbors of 50 years over for lunch the other day because they (her neighbors) were SO curious about our house after hearing her talk about ever since way back when. They're an older couple, in their 80's, but both look and act not a day over 55 which I think is just super cool, and they're both interesting and fun so I was glad to have them even if it did mean a pile of old people piling out of a Buick in my driveway ;)

The he part of the partnership is a big gardener (perhaps partly responsible for his youthfulness) and thus gifted me with a bag of tomatoes, a couple of cucumbers and the homegrown grapes you see above. Now, I can't remember if I've ever tasted a grape that wasn't a product of mass agriculture and global transit, and if I have I was young enough that I can't remember. And I'm sure I've never tasted a Minnesota grown grape, so when he walked in with this whole bowl full my eyes practically popped out of my head. I grabbed one and popped it into my mouth before he could even put down the bowl, and the fantastically intense, perfectly sweet-tart little thing was the most unique flavor I think I've tasted all year. They're like the most grapey grape tasting thing you'll ever try. I think I said "OHHH!! They taste exactly like grape!!", and they laughed at me because they both said they'd grown up eating grapes just like these, back when grapes were still grapes and locally grown was the only produce you got.

They're like bottled grape juice or grape flavored candy you ate as a kid, only a bajillion times better and grapey and juicy. How is it that I've lived this long without knowing this is what grapes are supposed to taste like? That's frightening, really, because it makes me wonder what else I think I know the flavor of have really never even tried.

The only caveat is that they have seeds, which are either a delightful little textural contrast or hard on the teeth, depending on your perspective :)