Monica's Last Stand

I've blogged before about my love of grape pies, a regional specialty of a certain area of the Finger Lakes. In my opinion, the best pies were made by a woman named Monica. More on her later.

Grape pies are made from either Concord or, if Concords aren't available in your area, red grapes. I was introduced to this specialty around 2015 and have loved them since. Every baker makes them slightly different and the fun is in the tasting.

To truly experience grape pies, one has to attend the Naples (New York) grape festival, held the last weekend in September

Let me give you a virtual taste.

Naples is on the southwest side of Canandaigua Lake, one of the Finger Lakes.  Grapes grow on the Finger Lakes (and along Lake Erie) especially well.

Naples is all about grapes.  The fire hydrants are painted purple. There are commercial vineyards right on Main Street. There are a couple of wineries right along the main street, too.

Front door of Monica's Pies, early September 2022

As you can tell from the architecture, grapes.

Naples has a population of about 900.  Except for the Naples Grape Festival, when the population swells to 20,000 or maybe more.

I think they were all there on Saturday, when we got there.  This was a little later on, when things had thinned out some.

What can I say? It was a festival.  The sidewalks were so crowded you couldn't walk,  The traffic when we got there was, shall we say, jammed.   We expected crowds.  We didn't expect a crush.

Pie signs were everywhere. I understand, in a good year, around 30,000 grape pies are sold at the festival.   Cindy's is a favorite of many people but we hadn't tried her pies.  Cindy is Cindy Trzeciak, a home baker who made some pies around Christmastime, 1978, to make some extra money.  They sold so well, the rest is history.

Here is Cindy's menu.  Many vendors give the choice of frozen unbaked or baked, because you can't freeze a baked pie.  But we didn't have any way to keep a frozen pie frozen.  Cindy calls her take out window "the pie hole".

Another of the great bakers, Jeni Makepeace, recently retired.  I had one of her pies earlier in September - I think her daughter has taken over the business.  Anyway....back to the festival.

I waded my way to the judging tent on the grounds of the high school.  After buying a T-Shirt (purple, of course), I asked one of the judges how they run the judging.  (I was secretly hoping one of the judges was late, and they would choose me to take their place.)  Alas, no.  But the judge explained how they cut the pies into small pieces, put them into cups, and, well, eat them.  

Then the judge showed me the plaque with the names of past winners and invited me to enter next year.

Well, no.  Unless they had a subcategory of worst pie.  Also, grape pies are not easy to make because you have to skin the grapes.  Concords have tough skins.  And, oh yes, seeds.

We ended up buying a pie and cookies from her, and one from another vendor, Jeanne. 

But what about Monica, you ask?  Her name is Monica Schenk.

Monica used to sell her pies year round.  She started to bake them in 1983 as a young mother and eventually opened her own shop on Rt. 21.  We had last been at her shop (which had turned into a takeout window due to Covid) in 2021. At that time she hadn't yet announced she was retiring.

Monica's Pies closed at year's end "for the winter" and never reopened.  When we passed by her store earlier this month, there was a sign saying she had retired.

But it turns out (I found out on Facebook) she was going to be open one last time, for the festival.

And that's it.  It was going to be her last stand.

We drove past Monica's on our way to Naples (it's not within the village) and saw the lines of cars parked along the narrow highway and the lines of people in front of her small shop.

It's nice to be loved, in a way.  But then, people don't let you retire. 

Two lines!

We decided to come back on our way out and, hopefully she would still have pies.  She did.  The lines were much shorter, too.

People were buying (literally) hundreds of dollars of pies (she has, or should I say had, many flavors besides grape).  Maybe some were buying for their entire family?   We bought a pie.  One pie.  

Oh, Monica.  It will be the last one of your pies we eat.  RIP (rest in pie), Monica.

We drove home Sunday, with our precious cargo of three grape pies, which somehow we need to eat before they spoil

Don't tell my Weight Watchers coach, but I'm up to the task. Shhhhh!

If you want the recipe, I took the liberty of getting it from Monica's website, because I fear it will be taken down in the near future. 

Thank you for the several years of pie, Monica.  It was worth driving 120 miles to get one.

Recipe by Monica Kay Schenk
Grape Pie

        4 cups stemmed Concord grapes

        2/3 cup sugar

        3 tbsp. cornstarch

    1 tsp. lemon juice

Slip skins from grapes, saving some of the skins.  Cook middles until soft, put through a sieve to get seeds out. Put back with skins and add sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
Fill pie shell and cover.
Bake 400 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Do you like pie?

Grape Pie Time

 Ah, regional specialties.  It's the season for one of my favorites, and time for an updated annual post.

Grape season has come upon us here in upstate New York once again.  On the roadsides along the Finger Lakes (a little more than an hour from where I live), signs normally advertise grapes or grape juice for sale.  The wineries prepare for an onslaught of tourists for harvest season.

This year, I don't know.  I was in grape country at the end of August, and went to a farm stand.  No grapes.  The person I spoke to said they lost the entire early crop to the rain.  We've had too much.  We've had even more since, and should be getting still more on Wednesday.

But, there is a regional favorite - grape pie.  I was able to buy one.

I love to eat Concord grapes and, I have to admit, they do make a wonderful pie. I also put them on my breakfast cereal.  In season, I can't get enough of concord grapes.  Alas, the seedless Concord grapes I could get five or more years ago are gone.  Just plain gone. So now I buy ones with seeds, but they aren't the best for breakfast cereal.

As for grape pie, one has to to travel an hour and a half or so away from the Southern Tier of New York, where I live.

You've heard of apple pie, strawberry/rhubarb pie, peach pie, pecan pie, and blueberry pie. Everyone has their favorite recipe for pie and many regions of our country have a pie that represents them.

For parts of upstate New York, our local pie of pride is grape pie, made with Concord grapes.

Yes, pie made with Concord grapes, those purple globes of heaven.  These grapes are the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of (commercially sold) very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)

The best part of grape pie 2021?  Naples, New York is having its annual grape festival (cancelled last year) this weekend.

As for their grape pie...

For the first time in two years, we visited Monica's Pies in Naples, New York. It's just about the only place in the Canandaigua Lake area you can get fresh baked grape pies all year.

COVID-19 had made its mark here.  It's a small store and you can't go inside.  All business was conducted from a walk up window.

But they had the pies in stock.

How about a brief history of Concord grapes?  Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.  I drank gallons of the stuff as a child.

And no, you will not find me making grape pie, at least from scratch.  It's an arduous process. Monica's sells a premade grape pie filling in a quart canning jar.  I have one in the house.

But if you're tempted, here's a recipe. 

Now, excuse me while I wash off some seeded Concord grapes for my breakfast.

Colors of the Seasons

Tomorrow, fall begins.

But where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, the trees are starting to turn, and the fall produce is bringing the colors of the season all over our state.

Ontario Orchards, in Oswego, New York (north of Rochester) chimes in with apples and crabapples.

In Victor, New York (about 30 miles from Rochester) mums and pumpkins dominate garden centers.

Where I live, in the Southern Tier, cauliflower delights with its colors (yes, these are real, and not manipulated).

Gourds.

What we used to call "Indian corn", now we call it Flint Corn.

It's a beautiful season.

And it's only just begun.

Local Saturday - Grape Pie Season

I am not going to be anywhere near Naples, New York this weekend for their Grape Festival.  I can not lie, it is too crowded for me.

But that didn't prevent my spouse and I from being in Naples this Tuesday, because the concord grapes are ripe and ready for the eating and pie making.

That's right.  Grape pies. I love them and I can't lie.  Don't laugh if you've never had one.  And don't tell my Weight Watchers leader..um, coach...what I've been up to.

I live only an hour or so from one of the Finger Lakes, and almost no one here has had a grape pie.  They are a true regional specialty, taking a lot of work to make (although you can get premade pie filling for them in the Naples area, in addition to the pies.)


Monica's Pies in Naples, some say, makes the best grape pies.  Actually, they make a number of different pies, depending on the season - apple, cherry, and even quiches (they are delicious) and chicken pot pies.  (I've not had them).

But their fame is based on grape pies, which they carry all year round.

Their theme color (no surprise) is purple.

More purple.

Let's take a walk up her driveway.

When you walk into her store it smells like grape jelly heaven.  There are lot of pies to choose from, plus T-shirts, grape soap (yes) and other grape related products.

Your grape pie choice is small or large, pastry top or crumble top.  We chose both a small pie and a large, and a crumble top.

And no, I'm not sharing.

Grape pie recipe? You'd better be an experienced pie baker and be able to set aside a lot of time.

Me? Maybe one year I'll brave it and attend the festival.

Happy grape eating!

The Land of Grapes

Plaque on former headquarters of Welch's Grape Juice

Here in upstate New York, the grapes are ripe.  On the roadsides along the Finger Lakes (a little more than an hour from where I live), signs advertise grapes or grape juice for sale.  The wineries prepare for an onslaught of tourists for harvest season.

This past September, I had the privilege of visiting concord grape country.  Mile after mile of grape farms lined the roads along Lake Erie on the New York/Pennsylvania border.

We were told that when the grapes are harvested, the air is scented with the scent of grape jelly.

Many of the fields contain Concord grapes.  Those grapes, the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)  And, if you are a wine drinker, you really should try dry concord wine.  Yes, there's such a thing.

Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

Concord grapes ripening near Westfield, New York

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.  We visited the pleasant village of Westfield, New York, where Welch's was headquartered.  The above building, sadly vacant, once contained Welch's headquarters.

Some people do not enjoy eating these grapes fresh, because they have a very tart skin, but I love them. I find the texture of the grape inside to be something like muscadine, but more bursting in flavor (and smaller, too). If I start eating a bunch, I can't stop.

I don't worry too much, because Concord grapes are high in nutrition and low in calories.  They are high in polyphenol, an antioxidant.  They contain vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. One cup of concord grapes, according to online sources, contains 62 calories. As they are a good natural source of oxalates, these sources warn that people prone to kidney stones should watch intake of Concord grapes. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.)

Today, I dream of grapes, and miles and miles of grapevines....

I Love Grape Pies and I Can Not Lie

Part of this post was originally written in September of 2013.

So far this year, I haven't been able to find a grape pie, because I live outside the area of upstate New York where they are a specialty.

Grape season has come upon us here in upstate New York once again.  On the roadsides along the Finger Lakes (a little more than an hour from where I live), signs advertise grapes or grape juice for sale.  The wineries prepare for an onslaught of tourists for harvest season.

And then there is a regional favorite - grape pie.

I love to eat Concord grapes and, I have to admit, they do make a wonderful pie. I also put them on my breakfast cereal. 

You've heard of apple pie, strawberry/rhubarb pie, peach pie, pecan pie, and blueberry pie. Everyone has their favorite recipe for pie and many regions of our country have a pie that represents them.

For parts of upstate New York, our local pie of pride is grape pie, made with Concord grapes.

Yes, Concord Grapes.  Those grapes, the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)

For that, and a grape pie, you need fresh Concord grapes, which are available in many farmers markets here in the Binghamton, New York area at this time of year.  These grapes can be more expensive than supermarket grapes but they are a native heirloom. 

Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.

Some people do not enjoy eating these grapes fresh, because they have a very tart skin, but I love them. I find the texture of the grape inside to be something like muscadine, but more bursting in flavor (and smaller, too). If I start eating a bunch, I can't stop.

I don't worry too much, because Concord grapes are high in nutrition and low in calories.  They are high in polyphenol, an antioxidant.  They contain vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. One cup of concord grapes, according to online sources, contains 62 calories. As they are a good natural source of oxalates, these sources warn that people prone to kidney stones should watch intake of Concord grapes. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.)

In fact, I love fresh Concord grapes so much I never get around to making grape pie.  I'm not that good of a pie baker, anyway.

Oh yes, the grape pie of my title.

I would not dare to try to bake a grape pie - if you read this recipe, you'll see how much work it is.

But I would love to eat a piece of grape pie this year.

And, with this post, September ends.  Tomorrow is October 1, and I will be participating in two blogging challenges.  First, the Ultimate Blog Challenge, which demands daily blogging and interacting with other bloggers.  And second, the Write Tribe Problogging Challenge, which will be running every Monday and Friday.

I look forward to participating in both challenges, and wish all my readers a good and productive October.

The Goodness of a Grape Pie

Outside of Naples, New York, late August 2016

Welcome to Day 2 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Grape season has come upon us here in upstate New York once again.  On the roadsides along the Finger Lakes (a little more than an hour from where I live), signs advertise grapes or grape juice for sale.  The wineries prepare for an onslaught of tourists for harvest season.

And then there is a regional favorite - grape pie.

I love to eat Concord grapes and, I have to admit, they do make a wonderful pie. I also put them on my breakfast cereal.  In season, I can't get enough of concord grapes.  Alas, this year, the crop wasn't a bumper crop due to a drought.  But at least I can get grapes.

For grape pie, though, I have to travel an hour and a half or so away from home.

You've heard of apple pie, strawberry/rhubarb pie, peach pie, pecan pie, and blueberry pie. Everyone has their favorite recipe for pie and many regions of our country have a pie that represents them.

For parts of upstate New York, our local pie of pride is grape pie, made with Concord grapes.

Yes, Concord Grapes.  Those grapes, the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)

For that, and a grape pie, you need fresh Concord grapes, which are available in many farmers markets here in the Binghamton, New York area at this time of year.  These grapes can be more expensive than supermarket grapes but they are a native heirloom.  Support your local grape farmer!

Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.

Some people do not enjoy eating these grapes fresh, because they have a very tart skin, but I love them. I find the texture of the grape inside to be something like muscadine grapes, but more bursting in flavor (and smaller, too). If I start eating a bunch, I can't stop.

I don't worry too much about eating a lot of these grapes, because Concord grapes are high in nutrition and low in calories.  They are high in polyphenol, an antioxidant.  They contain vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. One cup of concord grapes, according to online sources, contains 62 calories. As they are a good natural source of oxalates, these sources warn that people prone to kidney stones should watch intake of Concord grapes. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.)

Since the initial Concord grapes, a seedless variety (smaller than the original) has been developed, but both varieties were for sale yesterday at a local farm stand.

In fact, I love fresh Concord grapes so much I never get around to making grape pie.  I'm not that good of a pie baker, anyway.  But if you want to try your hands at it, try this recipe.

If you really want to eat pie, you need to visit Naples, New York, home of the Grape Pie.

Monica's, Naples, New York, late August 2016

If you do, travel to a store called Monica's.   The purple door should give you a clue as to what they specialize in. (They are also known for their chicken pot pies).  The air smells just like grapes.

I could live in that store.

Buy a pie.  You'll never regret it.  There are two types, regular crust topping and crumb - your choice.

Does your area of the world have a favorite pie?

Local Saturday - Grapes Ready for Harvest

In late summer, we made a brief visit to the Finger Lakes of upstate New York, about 1 1/2 hours from where we live in the Southern Tier of upstate New York.  The bounty of late summer was evident in the markets and wineries we visited.

The best part, though, was seeing grapes growing, and ready for harvest, at some Finger Lakes wineries.

These are Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. I have to admit that I am a white wine drinker, so wine made from these grapes would not be my first choice.  But this wine is popular in the United States.

Chardonnay grapes.  If you like sparkling wines, you are no doubt familiar with these grapes.

This is a trellis with concord grapes, although none of them is visible.  I love eating Concord grapes.  Growing up, the only wine I experienced (and yes, I was permitted tiny sips of wine at a certain annual religious dinner) was super-sweet Concord grape wine.  I am far from an educated wine drinker, but I have moved far behind that super sweet concord wine.

Finally, at a local farm market, a combination tray of grapes.

There is nothing as good as a good grape - yes, grape - pie.

There are so many types of grapes being grown throughout the world - what a pity that supermarkets in the United States only feature a few.

Throwback Thursday - The Goodness and Pride of a Grape Pie

This post was originally from September of 2013.

Grape season has come upon us here in upstate New York once again.  On the roadsides along the Finger Lakes (a little more than an hour from where I live), signs advertise grapes or grape juice for sale.  The wineries prepare for an onslaught of tourists for harvest season.

And then there is a regional favorite - grape pie.

I love to eat Concord grapes and, I have to admit, they do make a wonderful pie. I also put them on my breakfast cereal.  In season, I can't get enough.  So join me for a Throwback post on grape pie.


Grape pie, oh my.

You've heard of apple pie, strawberry/rhubarb pie, peach pie, pecan pie, and blueberry pie. Everyone has their favorite recipe for pie and many regions of our country have a pie that represents them.

For parts of upstate New York, our local pie of pride is grape pie, made with Concord grapes.

Yes, Concord Grapes.  Those grapes, the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)

For that, and a grape pie, you need fresh Concord grapes, which are available in many farmers markets here in the Binghamton, New York area at this time of year.  These grapes can be more expensive than supermarket grapes but they are a native heirloom.  Support your local grape farmer!

Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.

Some people do not enjoy eating these grapes fresh, because they have a very tart skin, but I love them. I find the texture of the grape inside to be something like muscadine, but more bursting in flavor (and smaller, too). If I start eating a bunch, I can't stop.

I don't worry too much, because Concord grapes are high in nutrition and low in calories.  They are high in polyphenol, an antioxidant.  They contain vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. One cup of concord grapes, according to online sources, contains 62 calories. As they are a good natural source of oxalates, these sources warn that people prone to kidney stones should watch intake of Concord grapes. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.)

Since the initial grapes, a seedless variety (smaller than the original) has been developed, but both varieties were for sale yesterday at a local farm stand.

In fact, I love fresh Concord grapes so much I never get around to making grape pie.  I'm not that good of a pie baker, anyway.

Oh yes, the grape pie of my title.

If you really want to eat pie, go to the Naples, New York grape festival the weekend of September 26-27 in Naples, New York.  If you can't make it to Naples, or other local farm stands, you may want to try this recipe.

Or, even better, go to the Cayuga Lake Creamery in Interlaken, New York, for their Grape Ice Cream.

Does your area of the world have a favorite pie?

This is my day 13 post for the #Septemberchallenge, hosted by Everyday Gyaan.

Sustainable Saturday - They Didn't Get His Goat

Today, in the Triple Cities of upstate New York, it was time for Earth Day celebrations.  At a local liquor store (whose history is a little controversial, including whether the store can truly be called "local"), they were having tastings of various organic wines from several countries, along with organic cheeses, crackers and almonds to go with the wine.

There were also tastings from a New York State winery, one with a fascinating history.

Anything with a chicken on the label is worth trying, I say!

The story of Bully Hill Vineyards is the story of Walter Taylor, a man who said his birthright and name had been taken from him - but they would never get "his goat".  As a result, some of his wine labels (many of his labels used his own artwork, and his artwork is still used today) featured goats.   (you can find a lot of those labels in an Internet search).

Since he wasn't able, due to legal reasons, to even use his last name on his wine, there would be a "blank" where Taylor's last name would have gone.

Walter (blank) would have been proud to have been called a gadfly.

Today, at the tasting, the sales hook was simple:  Bully Hill was sampling boxed wines, made from native grapes. At one time, boxed wines had a stigma of lack of quality.  That is disappearing in some circles, although there are still questions about whether the plastic liners have BPA. 

But, that little box has as much wine as three 750 ml bottles, and costs a lot less to ship.

I am not a wine connoisseur so don't come to me for advice on whether a wine is good.  I grew up on sweet wine (very sweet wine, if the truth be known), and I still savor (well, drink) sweet wine.

 Many grapes grown in New York State are hybrids.  But these wines are made from native Niagara and Concord grapes.  (the above wine is a concord wine). The wines are sweet.  Bully Hill is not the smallest winery in New York State - far from it, but that also means that people as far away from New York as Indiana and Iowa can sample this wine made from native grapes.

Sweet and good, I think. I enjoyed each of the above wines. (Bully Hill, incidentally, also bottles wine - it isn't just sold in boxes.)

My spouse and I may have met Walter Taylor in 1988, when visiting Bully Hill.  Nowadays, years after Taylor's death (he passed in 2001) I can't be sure, after all these years, but I wondered, because the man I met at the tasting counter was loud, outspoken and, to use a cliche, "larger than life".  We never will know.

My readers who are interested in independent men and women would have loved Walter Taylor.

If you are interested in wines made from native American grapes, you may want to give this wine a try.

Do you have a local "character"?

The Chocolate Lab Experiment

Warning: This post is not about dogs.  It's about wine.

So here goes....

I am not a wine connoisseur.  No, far from it.

VERY far from it.

I was nurtured by sweet Concord grape wine (Manischewitz, to be exact), and, in my early adulthood back in the 1970's, enjoyed the gourmet cheap offerings of Boone's Farm and still, when reaching for wine, tend to favor the sweet stuff.

But, I don't put Manischewitz down at all.  It was a local wine (Brooklyn) when I was growing up in the Bronx, and it is an upstate New York wine now, being made in Naples, New York.  And, although they have a lot more variety in their wine output now, you can still buy a bottle of that sweet Manischewitz Concord grape wine goodness.

So, when I saw this bottle in a newly opened wine and liquor store near my home, I was intrigued.  "Unabashedly unsophisticated?" That's me, exactly, when it comes to wine.  Perhaps I should be a little ashamed to admit it, but my wine palate has never progressed from where it started out at age...um, 18, which was the legal drinking age when I turned 18.

I would never have imagined wine and chocolate in the same sentence, except to say "bleechhh".  I was to a wine tasting once where they "paired" chocolate and wine, and, I'm sorry to say, it was awful.  (Of course, "awful" to me may mean something different to a wine connoisseur).

But who could resist the face on the bottle?

I looked Chocolate Lab wine up online. Yes, it is a New York State (Seneca Lake) wine.  Yes, it is made from sweet concord grapes (the "lush native grapes" of the label) and natural chocolate favor.  Two years ago, I did not find anything like this at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, but maybe they didn't waste Chocolate Lab on the masses. (or maybe, it wasn't being made yet.)

Apparently, there are those who like this as a dessert wine.  There was even one review that likened it to "drinking a Tootsie Roll".  So, this is what I did.

I bought a bottle.

I'm going to have it on Valentine's Day if I am permitted. (Hopefully, I'll be far enough recovered from my dental surgery to indulge, but I am on antibiotics - so I may have to wait a day or so.)

And then, I am going to tell you, my blog readers, what I thought. 

My first wine review! (run, run as fast as you can....)

Have you had chocolate flavored wine before?  Or a wine named after a dog?

Sustainable Saturday - The Goodness and Pride of a Grape Pie

Grape pie, oh my.

You've heard of apple pie, strawberry/rhubarb pie, peach pie, pecan pie, and blueberry pie. Everyone has their favorite recipe for pie and many regions of our country have a pie that represents them.

For parts of upstate New York, our local pie of pride is grape pie, made with Concord grapes.

Yes, Concord Grapes.  Those grapes, the grapes you find in concord grape jelly and grape juice and yes, certain types of very sweet wine.  But, commercial varieties of those products don't always reveal the true taste of the concord grape.  (I never tasted "true" grape jelly until I was about 14 years old - and then, never went back to the commercial type.)

For that, and a grape pie, you need fresh Concord grapes, which are available in many farmers markets here in the Binghamton, New York area at this time of year.  These grapes can be more expensive than supermarket grapes but they are a native heirloom.  Support your local grape farmer!

Concord grapes were developed, in 1849, from a wild, North American grape.  I am not any kind of grape expert, but I do know there were problems with disease affecting European grapes that the early settlers tried to grow.  The Concord grape, developed in Concord, Massachusetts escaped those problems because of their native American heritage, plus they matured relatively early, perfect for escaping the first frosts.

In 1869, a New Jersey dentist, Dr.Welch, developed a bottled unfermented grape juice, using the then new process of pasteurization.

Some people do not enjoy eating these grapes fresh, because they have a very tart skin, but I love them. I find the texture of the grape inside to be something like muscadine, but more bursting in flavor (and smaller, too). If I start eating a bunch, I can't stop.

I don't worry too much, because Concord grapes are high in nutrition and low in calories.  They are high in polyphenol, an antioxidant.  They contain vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. One cup of concord grapes, according to online sources, contains 62 calories. As they are a good natural source of oxalates, these sources warn that people prone to kidney stones should watch intake of Concord grapes. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional.)

Since the initial grapes, a seedless variety (smaller than the original) has been developed, but both varieties were for sale yesterday at the downtown Binghamton farmers market.

In fact, I love fresh Concord grapes so much I never get around to making grape pie.  I'm not that good of a pie baker, anyway.

Oh yes, the grape pie of my title.

If you really want to eat pie, go to the Naples, New York grape festival next weekend in Naples, New York.  If you can't make it to Naples, or other local farm stands, you may want to try this recipe.

Or, even better, go to the Cayuga Lake Creamery in Interlaken, New York, for their Grape Ice Cream.

Does your area of the world have a favorite pie?

Wednesday Blooms - A Midsummer Afternoon's Dream

August is upon us, ignoring the calendar. The crickets are chirping.  Goldenrod is blooming all along roadsides. 

We actually got some rain in the last 24 hours. We probably got close to 1/2 inch at our house, and I think certain areas of our county got almost 2 inches. Could our drought be breaking?

Our grass is brown and not growing, and Queen Anne's lace white has replaced green in many lawns.  I've never seen so much Queen Anne's lace.

Tonight, on an exercise walk through the West Side of Binghamton, a city in upstate New York, we went down a street we normally don't.  What initially caught my eye was a container with a dwarf canna growing in it.  An orange flower was starting to open.  And then we saw the tall yellow flowers.  Taller than us.

The flowers looked like dahlias to me but the foliage didn't. 

As I was preparing to take the picture with my phone, I heard a beep.

A car was preparing to enter the driveway. I was standing too close.  He waved at me to move, which I did, and he pulled in and parked.

A man with grey/white hair got out.  My spouse approached him. "We were admiring your flowers.  Do you know what type of flower the yellow flower is?"  He didn't.

But he wanted to show us something, and walked up his driveway. We followed. We will never go onto a driveway, or otherwise onto someone's property, by the way, when I take photographs.  So, we were fortunate that he showed up when he did.

We saw the fake owl first, then the dangling strips and then - loaded grape vines.  It was a grape arbor, with white grapes awaiting harvest hanging everywhere.  How shady and inviting it was!

These were California grapes, the man explained.  Last year (the year of our heavy rains) he wasn't able to harvest one grape.  This year, he was hoping for a bumper crop, if the birds stayed away. (hence the owl and the dangly strips.)

We thanked the man for his time, and walked on.

A later further on stood a Rose of Sharon, loaded with white blooms.  I am aware, by the way, that there are several flowers that bear the name "Rose of Sharon" so I will refer to this Korean import by its Latin name, "Hibiscus syriacus". 

The hot weather has broken for a few days. I walk along, dreaming about an endless summer, a summer that will not end with trees starting to turn color, the cold winds starting to blow, flowers black with frost, and the promise of ice and snow.