
DATE: Wednesday, August 27, 1997            TAG: 9708260108

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RUTH FANTASIA, FLAVOR EDITOR 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

GRAPE APPELLATIONS SUPERMARKET VARIETIES HAVE NAMES BEYOND THEIR COLORS. HERE'S A GLOSSARY.

CHARDONNAY, cabernet, pinot noir. Those highfalutin varietals of wine grapes. We know each by name, and some folks can even tell you the attributes of each type.

Get this: The throw-'em-in-the-lunch-box, pop-'em-in-your-mouth table grapes are grown by variety too.

While chefs will specify what kind of onion to use, most recipes that require grapes call for just that: ``Grapes.'' If you're lucky, and the chef is being specific, it will tell you red or white. Produce bins are likewise labeled: red, white, seeded, seedless.

You'd think grapes were all the same.

Wrong.

Just like wine grapes, each variety of eating grape has its own flavor and texture. Most of them even have names.

One of the most commonly known grape varietals is the Thompson Seedless. This elongated green fruit was one of the first marketed nationally by varietal, says Randy Brittain, produce buyer for Farm Fresh. And it remains one of the few grapes asked for ``by name.''

But there are other names to know. Here's a selection available in area stores. Most of the information is from the California Table Grape Commission. Other notes are from an informal tasting.

Rose-Ito is an extra-large, round, seeded, red grape. It has a crunchy texture underneath a firm, but not rubbery, skin. Rose-Ito grapes have a mild grape flavor that is lightly tart.

Ruby Seedless is a medium-size red grape with a sweet grape flavor. Its slightly tough skin covers flesh with the typical, soft grape texture.

Red Flame is the seedless red found most often in supermarkets. The flesh is very sweet with a crunchy, almost apple-like texture.

Emperor is a large, robust, sweet red grape with seeds. it is available from September through January and is very popular for Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes.

Red Globe is a large, seeded red variety. The flesh is sweet, juicy and mild. It is available now through January.

Italia is a very large, round grape with a golden-green skin. Its flesh is very sweet, similar to the muscadines of the wine world.

Concord is a small, deep purple grape with an almost bluish cast. It is frequently used for making jellies and wines but can also be eaten out of hand. Concord grapes have a thick, tart skin and a very sweet flesh. Because of their soft, almost slimy texture, they don't travel well.

Fantasy is a black, seedless grape with a large oval shape. The flavor is sweet and mellow.

While most of us reach for the seedless grapes, seeded varieties tend to have more flavor, says Jack Murdich in ``Buying Produce'' (Hearst, 1986). Look for plump, dry berries with supple stems. Avoid grapes that are turning brown as they are beginning to deteriorate.

Murdich says wholesale produce buyers look for grapes with ``bloom,'' a light, hazy sheen on the surface of the berries provided by mother nature. The more bloom, the fresher the grape.

Thanks to alternating seasons in California and Chile, American consumers can buy grapes inexpensively year round, Murdich says. Late August and early September are peak months for the California crop, so you'll find the largest variety in the markets now, according to the California Table Grape Commission. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Like wine grapes, ordinary snacking grapes...Concords, above....

ROSE-ITO RED GRAPE

BLACK SEEDLESS

THOMPSON SEEDLESS

Photo

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

Red Flame is the seedless red grape found most often in

supermarkets.