by Chef Justin Timineri Florida's Culinary Ambassador

Reminiscing on my days as a child growing up in the South brings back memories of exploring through thick woods, stopping to pick wild Scuppernogs, or fox grapes, along the way. These spicy-sweet, thick-skinned Florida grapes are still a treat today.

Modern breeding has brought us a wonderful range of varieties, including wine grapes for the home and professional vintner, as well as delicious fresh-eating muscadines that can grow as large as golf balls.

There are many wild and cultivated species native to Florida. They thrive with little care, and the vines can remain productive for many, many years. Although large markets for grape products exist in our state, the species used to produce traditional table wines are not adapted to grow in our semitropical climate. However, there are many wild and cultivated species native to Florida.

Floridians have capitalized on the many native muscadine grapes varieties. Some of the uses include jellies, jams, pies, sauces and Florida wines. The muscadine grape is one of nature’s best sources of powerful natural antioxidants, including resveratrol. It has more antioxidant power than pomegranates, cranberries, red wine grapes or even blueberries, based on USDA findings. Here are a few of my favorite recipes with muscadines.

MUSCADINE PIE

Pastry for 2-crust 9" pie
2 quarts ripe Florida muscadines
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1⁄2 lemon)
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
21⁄2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. butter, cut in small pieces

Line pie plate with half of the rolled out pastry. Refrigerate pie shell and remaining pastry until ready to fill. Mash muscadines. Separate hulls from pulp. Strain to get juice, leaving pulp and seed. Cook hulls in juice until tender, adding a little water if needed. Let cool. Add lemon juice, flour and sugar. Put fruit mixture in prepared pie shell. Carefully arrange top crust over fruit. Flute the edge with a fork or by pinching with fingers. Cut several slits in top crust. Bake in a 400° oven for approximately 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375° and bake 30 minutes longer.

Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired.

MUSCADINE-ORANGE AND WILDFLOWER HONEY GLAZE

4 cups Florida muscadine juice
2 cups Florida orange juice
1⁄4 cup Florida wildflower honey
1⁄4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. grated Florida orange rind

Bring muscadine juice and orange juice to a boil in a sauce pot; boil until reduced to 11⁄2 cups (about 1.5 hours). Stir in remaining ingredients. Use as a glaze for seafood, pork, chicken, ham or duck. Store in refrigerator.

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