Grapes are one of those things you will always find in abundance in any grocery store produce section. No matter what time of year they are always there. Unfortunately they are rarely good. Most grocery store grapes like bags of sugar water, lacking any real depth of flavor. If you want good table grapes that will blow your mind, you have to search them out. Part of that search is knowing when they are available. August is the month you should start seeing some quality grapes hit the store. But you still need to seek out grapes that have a name that goes beyond what color they are.
One example was Himrod Grapes. I recently purchased this at my local Meijer store. Lucky for me, someone decided to put these grapes back (hopefully that person stumbles across my blog) and pick out some generic green ones instead as I found them laying among the flavorless options. Himrod Grapes are a vivid green color on the oustide. They are seedless. These particularly Himrod Grapes were grown by Spiech Farms out of Lawton, Michigan.
The Himrod was created when Thompson Seedless and Ontario grapes were crossed. This was a part of a grape breeding program run by Cornell University. They are also responsible for the Marquis Grape.
My Experience with these grapes
Tart/Sweet: Balanced
Seed/Seedless: Seedless
Grape Flavor (Rating Scale 1-10): 9
Overall Feeling: These are very flavorful grapes. They have hint of cinnamon in their flavor. Very unique! They have a nice balance of sweetness and tartness. They have a loose skin that pops off in your mouth when you eat them.
Availability: I purchased mine at Meijer in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The grapes are available near the end of August to sometime in September. The season isn't long, so don't hesitate if you see them.
**UPDATE 8/14/12** Himrod grapes are now in season and available at Meijer stores.
Leave a Reply