One of my favorite things about food is that there is always more to learn. I’ve been an avid eater for as long as I can recall, yet still, I discover new foods continually. Last week, my husband’s side of the family was in town, so we headed over to Seattle’s Pike Place Market to play tourist for an afternoon. Naturally, I was drawn to the vast array of produce and was gleeful when I spotted something I’d never seen before. Miniature Champagne grapes were there for the taking as long as one could pony up the cash. $5.99 a pound seemed like a steep price to pay, but my curiosity wouldn’t allow me to pass them by.

What exactly is a Champagne grape? I suppose I should have known the answer to that question before making the purchase, but since experience is sometimes the best teacher, it’s probably just as well. My taste buds have concluded that they are much like the red grapes we are accustomed to seeing in the grocery store, only a bit more delicate and more concentrated in flavor and sweetness. They contain no seeds, and ironically have nothing to do with actual Champagne. (Turns out the name is more of a nickname that came about after they were featured in a pictorial in Sunset Magazine alongside a glass of Champagne; “Black Corinth” is the official name of this type of grape, but they are also sometimes referred to as Zante Currants.) source

Technicalities aside, these beauties were begging to be transformed into something memorable. I considered making a grape-studded cake, then later decided on a rustic dessert called a galette. It has a fancy name, but a galette is essentially a free form tart or pie. I used a classic pie crust recipe, then piled on the sweetened grapes, folded over the edges to hold it all in, and popped it into the oven to bake. I could hardly wait for it to cool and set, but the moment I bit into the buttery pastry and felt the grapes burst in my mouth, releasing their flavorful juices, I knew my patience had paid off.

Pie crust recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Tips and Tidbits

• Since this is the first time I recall ever coming upon champagne grapes, I imagine they may not be available in all areas. If that’s the case for you or perhaps you are in the mood for something different, you may substitute a number of fruits in their place. Blueberries will yield a similar texture, especially if they are small, but sliced peaches or apricots would be scrumptious as well. Be sure to taste the raw fruit to determine its tartness and adjust the amount of sugar as needed.
• Achieving a perfect pie crust isn’t always easy, but two things that I’ve found to be very important are the temperature of the butter and how much I work the dough. It’s best if the dough is as cold as possible (hence the cold ingredients and chilling period) because it helps keep the butter separate from the dry ingredients. Think of it as pea-sized nuggets of butter nestled cozily in a matrix of flour rather than a homogeneous flour-butter paste. As the dough bakes, the butter vaporizes and its steam creates pockets of air in the pastry, which is how the crust becomes flaky. Conversely, if the butter is too warm or the dough has been overworked, there is less distinction between the ingredients and the end result is usually denser and tougher.
• I happen to think that a grape pie is a rather fun idea, though it’s certainly not the only way you can enjoy these sweet gems. Try adding them to muffin batter, incorporating them into a salad, or roasting them briefly with olive oil and honey to serve with pork, poultry, or ice cream.

ENJOY!