Thursday, June 24, 2004

Growing up, we had three scuppernong vines in our backyard. My father built the trellis for them to grow upon. Every summer, my sister and I would drag the barstools out under the scuppernong vine. My dad cut a few holes in the wire mesh so we could put our hands up through to reach the more stubborn ones.

Sometime after I moved out and got married, the vines disappeared. Maybe dad got a little too tired of taking care of the vines or they just got in the way. I have had to indulge my appetite for scuppernongs since then by purchasing them from the fruit stands. I have decided when we move to our house (if ever) we are going to plant some vines. They must be planted in pairs for successful fruit production. I guess they cross pollinate? I have learned that the female vines produce bigger scuppernongs than the male ones. My sister always called the last vine for herself since it was the one with the largest fruit. That's okay because after she moved out, I had all three vines to myself.

I realize that some people in the northern states may not be familiar with scuppernongs. Scuppernongs and muscadines are members of the grape family. You do not eat the outer casing just the inside of the fruit. Seasoned scuppernong eaters just squish the fruit in their mouth, throw the shell on the ground, spit the seeds out, and grab another scuppernong
Image: North Carolina Wine & Grape Council

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