Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. These juicy fruits are as old as mankind. Three important things considered to have great influence on men are `wine, women and money.` The ancient Greeks and Romans were enthusiastic consumers of wine and grapes and cultivated large areas of vineyards. India is one of the few tropical countries that cultivate grapes. Grapes came to India along with Muslim rulers through Persia and Afghanistan. India, along with other tropical countries like Peru, Columbia, and Brazil grows mainly table variety of fruits. France, UK, Germany, Spain, USA, and Italy are the leading growers of this fruit and mainly for their famous wines. Middle eastern regions of turkey, Afghanistan, Iran and Egypt is mainly cultivating for the production of raisins or dry fruits.

Grape is a shrubby climber. A normal bunch of grape weighs 80 gm and has numerous berries. There are different types of grapes available, which vary in colour, size, and taste. They are available in green, pale yellow, purple, bluish and red in colour. Green grapes are known as white and purple as black. Few varieties of these fruit have seeds, where others do not have. Generally purple fruit have seed in it, but now a days genetically engineered fruit without seeds are also available in this colour. Depends up on the flavour and quality they are used for specific purpose like for making wine or raisin etc. Frost and rain spoil the fruit making them insipid and sour.

Store grapes in a bowl in a cool dry place. This way we can preserve it for at least a week. To store them for two weeks, place it in a sealed polythene bag and keep it in the refrigerator. Avoid buying wrinkled grapes or bunches with tiny specimens attached because they may be spoiled or sour to taste.

By Ms Mumtaz Khalid Ismail

Image: Flickr/creativecommons nickallen