FOOD TIP: Frozen Grapes

Alright, folks.  We all know the world is getting warmer and warmer, and we're definitely feeling it.  A/C gets blasted, and everyone's wearing their short shorts.  Even the guys (I know you've seen 'em!).  So what I've got here for you all is a food tip.  Frozen grapes.

Now, I can't help you if you don't like grapes.  I'm not going to be able to make your taste buds change their minds.  First off, they're on your tongue, which is slippery and pretty gross to touch.  Second, they haven't actually got any minds, so I really can't do anything.  If you do like grapes, though, lucky you, and you should give this a try.  Perhaps some of you have already tried it.  For those who haven't, it's refreshing and easy.  It's also great if you have some leftover grapes that aren't really bad yet but are a little overly ripe and soft.  What results from freezing your grapes is the following:

1. They taste sweeter.
2. It solves the squishy grape issue.
3. They last longer
4. They cool you off infinitely.

First, wash your grapes.  Put them in a large bowl.  It can be metal, plastic, glass, who cares.  Just let it be big enough to hold your grapes.  Rinse your grapes under some cold running water, and then soak them for a little bit in the bowl.  Then change the water and soak for a little bit longer.  You don't want your grapes to be soaking in brown water, which happens, I promise.  You've no idea how dirty fruit can be.

I like to take my grapes off of the vine.  It just makes it easier to store.  If you would rather not, that's fine.  It's really up to you.  I've also heard that fresh grapes last longer when their stems are still present.  It makes sense, yeah?  Taking out the stem just leaves a nice hole for bacteria and mold to squirm their way into.  What my mother likes to do is take a pair of scissors and cut each grape off the vine, keeping just a millimeter or two of the stem.  As for me, I'd rather just pull them off.  The hole won't really matter anyway since we're freezing them.  Plus, the little nubby stem is rather difficult to pull off after they're frozen.  If you'd prefer to have the stem, I'd recommend cutting each grape so that the stem is easy to grasp.  That will also make it easier to remove when you're eating them later on in their lovely frozen state.

Once your grapes are in whatever stemmed/stemless state, find an appropriately sized freeze-safe container.  You don't want any unnecessary toxins from warped plastic, so make sure it's freeze-safe.  Plus, you've tasted yucky ice cream with all that ice inside, right?  What about frost-bitten meat?  Well, let me tell you, frost-bitten anything doesn't taste great.  Many Tupperware containers are pretty invincible these days, so I'm sure you'll find something.  Anyway, toss your grapes in your container, and throw it in the freezer for about 6 hours or overnight.  Voilà!  You have fruity frozen deliciousness to snack on.

This tip isn't great for grape-haters or people with sensitive teeth, sorry!