Frozen Grapes

As I write this, I'm sitting in a quiet apartment—both the baby and my husband are asleep. I am munching on frozen grapes for the first time in my life and they're wonderful. If you, like me, somehow missed out on this treat while you were growing up, now is the time to rectify the situation. Grapes are newly in season in the Northeast and should still be around in much of the rest of the country.

Freezing grapes couldn't be easier. Simply wash a bunch of organic seedless grapes thoroughly in cold running water, set on a towel and allow to drip dry. Then gently remove the grapes from their stems, place on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for an hour or so. Once they have partially frozen, pour them into a plastic freezer bag and place back in the freezer. Now start snacking! Frozen grapes are fun to eat, low in calories and actually good for you (as opposed to almost every other snack food that you can think of).

My friend Sugar (I kid you not) likes to dip a bunch of seedless grapes in simple syrup and then freeze the bunch whole. Once frozen she serves the grapes as part of a luncheon buffet. I haven't yet tried her method, but she's a pretty good cook so I'm going to trust her. To "sugar" your grapes, wash a bunch of seedless grapes and place on a towel to drip dry. Meanwhile, combine two cups sugar and two cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool. Holding the grapes by the stem, dip them into the sugar solution a few times (making sure all the grapes are coated), then place the bunch onto a cookie sheet and pop into the freezer. Allow them to freeze for at least six hours, but if you have the time, overnight is even better. Place the bunch of grapes on a serving platter and listen to your guests ooh and aah.