Don't these belong in a Flemish still life? With a lobster or a rabbit lingering in the corner, and a vase filled to the brim with tulips. They fit perfectly in your palm and their blush of red tells you they're ripe. They're absolutely succulent, or should I say seckelulent?
Muscat de Hamburg and Muscat de Alexandria Grapes
These grapes were my farmer's market equivalent to the "Christmas closet." When I saw grapes clinging to the stalls a few weeks ago it flipped the same switch that twinkle lights getting put up on the palm trees does for me, and "It's the most wonderful Time of the Year" started playing in my head. I skipped from stall to stall, anticipating that elusive, almost floral sweetness of muscat grapes. I picked up a bunch covetously and asked the cashier, "Muscats?"
"No, Thompson."
"Damn!"
"Muscat in two weeks."
Hope! I returned two weeks later, and then three weeks later, and finally four weeks later, to still no muscat grapes. Each time I'd peek at the stalls, like a child hoping to see wrapped presents stacked one night, and would leave crestfallen. This week, finally, I found not one, but two varietals of muscat grapes. And I didn't even have to offer the farmer milk and cookies. The Muscat de Alexandria grapes are bright and crisp, whereas the Muscat de Hamburg grapes have an earthier, almost tannic, flavor. Both, however, have that honey-kissed, jasmine flavor of dessert wine. Delicious!
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