Last Fall when living in Manhattan, I experienced fresh concord grapes for the first time and was dazed by the naturally jelly consistency and supersweet interior. I probably went through five pounds a week, so you can imagine my excitement when grapes started popping up at the farmers market here in San Francisco. Preserve the season's bounty by making homemade jam. A few serving suggestions: Read more

Instead of serving a spirits-based specialty cocktail at my Californian Thanksgiving, I'll be pouring a wine-based drink that's garnished with icy grapes. The recipe is somewhat like sangria, but without the addition of liqueur. White wine is infused with fresh rosemary, mint, and lemon zest. It sits overnight until the wine has an aromatic herbal quality. It's a light, refreshing, and fruity Read more

The next time you crave roast chicken but don't have time to bake an entire bird, select bone-in chicken breast halves instead. This juicy cut cooks in half the time, about 30 minutes. For a super flavorful preparation, follow this recipe which stuffs the chicken skin with a goat cheese mixture. The ingredient list calls for dried herbs, however, if you've got fresh mint and thyme on hand, why Read more

They say you can't really compare apples and oranges, but what about grapes and raisins? I have often wondered how the dried version compares with its juicy source. When a fruit is dried, many of the nutrients become concentrated. According to the Berkeley Wellness Newsletter, ounce for ounce, raisins have almost three times the antioxidants as their grape counterparts. However, the amount of Read more

Although a tartine is an open-faced French sandwich, this tartine recipe employs taleggio, a gooey Italian cheese. Taleggio smells stronger than it tastes and pairs well with fruit and bitter greens — in this case grapes and watercress. A quick vinaigrette combines grainy mustard with sherry vinegar and agave syrup. Don't skip the step that steeps the red onion in the vinaigrette because it Read more

After tossing back a few of PartySugar's Candy Corn Cordials last weekend, I was ready to get into the spirit of the holiday with a chilling concoction of my own. A slime rickey isn't just a wordy play on the classic lime rickey of gin, lime juice, and club soda — it's also softened with the sweetness of simple syrup and eerily bobbing frozen grapes. The beverage is so easy to drink that the Read more