The sweet taste of Australia’s grape season

Now that it’s the season for grapes in Australia, many of their harvests have landed in the Philippines. Crimson, black and green Australian grapes can be found in supermarkets, groceries, and even in some wet markets.

During a recent launch at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Jeff Scott, CEO of the Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA), talked about this year’s exceptional harvest of grapes. “These big, sweet berries have beautiful color and crunch and are backed by some of the best growing conditions we’ve had in years,” Scott said.

Grape varieties presented during the launch included the Ivory (crisp, green grapes that are subtly sweet); the Midnight Beauty (a bold black variety with elongated berries that are unusually sweet); and Sunrise Red (sweet, vibrant crimson grapes).

We also learned from Scott about the Australian variety called cotton candy grapes, which are “bursting with the sweet taste of fairy floss and toffee.” Though not presented during the launch, the Cordoma cotton candy variety is currently available in high-end supermarkets such as the Marketplace in Rockwell. We bought a bundle recently and found that they are, indeed, exceptionally sweet.

Australia grows more than 130 grape varieties. “Each variety offers a unique flavor profile,” said Luisa Rust, senior commissioner of the Australian Trade Commission. “They’re rich in vitamin C, potassium, and other nutrients and are a guilt-free treat.”

It’s no wonder Australian grapes have found a niche in the country. “The Philippines is a very enthusiastic market,” said Jessie White, international marketing manager for ATGA. In the past years, there has been a consistent growth in the Philippines’ consumption of grapes, he added.

During the launch, a menu inspired by Australian grapes was served by Grand Hyatt’s culinary team. There were crisp frozen grapes sprinkled with Viking salt; Grapetini Freeze, grape pops seasoned with smoky Oaxacan salt and infused with lime and Tequila; as well as grape porchetta, tarts, chicken vol-au-vent, buttery sables with almond cream, charcuterie, Parmesan croquettes, and jicama tortillas.

Meanwhile, roaming among the guests with a friendly wave was Gary the Grape, the new mascot who will front this year’s ATGA consumer marketing activities.

Aside from being nutritious, grapes also make beautiful centerpieces. They can be added to other fruits and floral arrangements to create eye-catching focal points. Not only can the arrangements be served as dessert, they can also double as souvenirs for guests to take home.

Gail Genevieve Ang Santander of Bloomingails Floral Co. demonstrated some tricks and tips for decorating with Australian grapes, such as: 

• Use the natural shape of the grapes as a guide when making centerpieces. You want them to hang naturally.
• Use flowers that complement the grapes’ shapes and colors. Good choices include mums (to match the sunrise red grapes, for example), gerbera, red carnations, lysanthus, and golden rod or solidado. You can also use clusters of statice which are long lasting.
• Insert the short parts of the floral stems in between the grapes so the grapes stay in place. However, make sure the stems don’t show.
• When adding the main flowers, choose the biggest ones first so these become the focal point that will attract the eyes.
• Add depth to the arrangement by putting deeper colors beside the lighter shades of color. This will make the arrangement look three-dimensional.
• After putting in the main flowers, fill in the empty spaces with fillers. Fillers make the arrangement look professional and enhance its overall look. Good fillers to use are the golden rod or solidago, baby’s breath, aster and Queen Anne’s Lace.
• Insert grapes on the lower end of the arrangement to create height.
• Stick the stems of the flowers into wet floral foams so the flowers stay hydrated.