Grapes

- Never Stop Dreaming -

Back in Singapore, there are abundant tropical fruits vying for my hard earned money. Luckily, my parents are so nice to always stock up the fridge with fruits. Somehow the usual oranges, apples, bananas, kiwis and pears seem to have a double edged taste which will either be sweet or sour. When it's sweet, the level of sweetness varies and I would always hope to have the insane diabetic sweetness. When it's sour, which is a taste I dread in fruits, either it goes straight into the bin after the first taste or I would have to be mentally traumatized with the lingering after taste.

Grapes eating in particular are a much tedious and extremely uncomfortable experience for me. Though I really prefer dark grapes over the green ones, going through the trouble of peeling the grapes, then seperating the infinite seeds in the grapes with my tongue and not to mention the occasional unplesant accidental chewing on the seeds...*sigh* With these much trouble and bad experience, I have since avoided grapes in Singapore except if they are already devoid of the skin and totally seedless, I would not take another look at grapes.

Now, welcome to Japanese grapes...Kyoho (巨峰) Grapes. The first time I ate them in Japan while on holidays last year, my perspective of grapes changed forever as the distinctive taste remained lodged in my head even till now. These insanely good grapes are meant for Gods and not mortals. They have a certain characteristics which are beyond any grapes found in Singapore and are a prized fruit in Japan itself. Luckily for me, I am in Nagano Prefecture which these grapes are a local produce and so the prices are relatively cheap as compared to other Prefectures in Japan. Here's why these grapes have got me hooked like a drug...

1. The grapes are 110% sweet and I mean really sweet and there is almost ZERO probability that you will get one that is not sweet.
2. Low acidity which means not the slightest sour taste in every bite.
3. They are extremely juicy so you'd better practice eating them without endangering others.
4. The skin simply slides off when you squeeze them lightly between your tongue and hard palate.
5. They are deep blueish almost black with a slight "fog" on the surface which makes them irresistable.
6. They come in a variety of readily packed boxes marked "巨峰" which you can't go wrong.
7. They are only ¥400 (SGD$5) for a small box of about 20 grapes.
8. They have a rich wine-liked fragance that lingers in your throat.
9. They are only exclusively for the August ~ September seaason.
10. They cost SGD$90 per 1 kg in Meidi-Ya or Isetan supermarket.

And they also comes in many spin off varieties like Kit Kats, grape juices, wines, sweets, etc. If you ever have a chance to sample one, I am sure you will share the same sentiments.



As usual the only gratification you can get out from reading my blog is...DROOL! Next season, I will be feasting on STRAWBERRIES and FUJI APPLES. :p