As the air turns crisp, mornings darken, and the sun starts to take on an amber glow, my thoughts invariably turn to the flavors of fall. Our local farmer’s market is still active, but flip flops and sun glasses are quickly being replaced by sneakers and stocking caps. I find myself clinging to the last bits of summer, resisting the urge to pull on a sweater and trying to devour as much produce as a person can eat.

Fresh grapes are one of summer’s final gifts. Fruity and sweet, they carry the brightness of summer while also gently bringing the cold refreshing side of fall. Last summer on the final day of our farmer’s market I purchased a basket of concord grapes. The deep purple color and heady fragrance were irresistible. With far too many seeds to eat straight up, I knew that the grapes would require special treatment. In typical fashion we decided that dessert was in order and used the grapes to make a sorbet.

The simple mixture of water, sugar and grapes was a revelation. Almost magically, making sorbet concentrated the grape flavor to a level I had never before experienced. Each spoonful had a fluffy, almost snowcone-like texture that dissolved instantly in my mouth leaving behind the intense taste of juicy, floral grapes. I was hooked.

This year as soon as I spotted grapes at the market I jumped on them! We rushed home and immediately made sorbet. The grapes were a mix of varieties, and as a result had a slightly less intense flavor than concord grapes. However the texture and taste of a fresh grape sorbet was just as delightful and delicious as I remembered.

Grape Sorbet (Printable Recipe)
Serves 6-8

If you don’t have an ice cream maker I think this recipe could easily be adapted to make grape granitas instead of sorbet. (However if you stop by my site on a regular basis, you really should get an ice cream maker. There is no end in sight to our ice cream making!)

Ingredients:

3 cups of Grapes, all stems removed
1 1/2 cups of Water
1/2 – 1 cup Sugar (adjust to taste since the sweetness of grapes will vary)
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Directions:

Rinse the grapes, and place them in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the water and 1/2 cup of sugar and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture gently simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and see if the liquid needs additional sugar. If it does, add in the remaining sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes.

Next, strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spatula to extract any leftover liquid. Discard the solids. Stir lemon juice into the liquid, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the fridge and chill for four hours or overnight. After the liquid is thoroughly chilled, freeze according to the ice cream manufacturer’s suggestions. (Mine takes about 20 minutes.) Transfer the sorbet to a freezer safe container and freeze it for 3-4 hours before serving (to firm up).