The Produce Box

The “Big White Grape”, or Scuppernong, was originally discovered growing in the wild in Northeastern North Carolina and was our nation's first actively cultivated grape. The Scuppernong, a greenish or bronze, variety of the muscadine grape .  Most southerners refer to bronze muscadines as a Scuppernong and the purple or black varieties as muscadines - in spite of there now being some newer varieties available. All the good things Scuppernongs have to offer! *   Scuppernongs are one of the BEST sources of ANTIOXIDANTS found in nature. *   A leading source of cancer fighting resveratrol. *   These grapes are high in Vitamin C. *   You will find potassium, Vitamin B, and trace minerals. *   They are naturally low in sodium and high in fiber. *   They are fat free and cholesterol free. *   Scuppernongs only have  95-100 calories per cup. Just Want to Snack on Your Grapes? Most people prefer not to eat the thick skins or large seeds of the Scuppernong.  T

Pretty soon all the lovely summer veggies will be gone...until next year.  Now is the time to make sure you have stocked up on the goodness of summer!  Summer veggies work wonderful in chili, soups, stews, and casseroles in the winter time.  Here are a few tips about how to extend the summer right on into winter. First, how to “flash freeze” so you don’t end up with a huge CHUNK of veggies.  Spread cut up veggies out on a cookie sheet. Pop into the freezer for about an hour and they will begin to freeze as individual pieces.  This way, when bagged later you will have loose pieces to deal with rather than a chunk to thaw. It will change the way look at freezing produce. Tomatoes: To freeze: Plunge in boiling water till the skins crack and then into a cold water bath. They can now be frozen chopped or whole. Think about roasting in the oven and make into a marinara sauce. You can freeze your sauce as well. Dehydrating tomatoes is also a great way to go. Cut small tomatoes in