Muscadines grow wild in Alabama.  If you’ve never had them you’re missing out!  There are many varieties.  I made two different jellies and they are wonderful in color, aroma, taste, and firmness.  I hear they make great wine too.

My cousin owns a vineyard and I was incredibly fortunate to help pick last September.  I learned about the varieties and perty much just ate my lunch off the vine.  I needed not water nor other food while picking for hours in the late summer sun (which is actually a little cooler in Sept.  I don’t know if it’s global warming or what.).  Of all the varieties, the Creek muscadine blew me away, hence it was used in my jelly.

The 2 different jellies had different pectin and amounts of sugar.  This ain’t no cooking class so I’ll just say that one had 7 cups of sugar and no lemon for 5 (yes five c.f. 7) cups of juice.  The low-sugar pectin set had lemon and only 1 cup of sugar.  I like the low sugar better.  It is amazing that traditional recipes use 7 cups.

If you read this and you know about muscadines, you know how I feel.  If not, you might get lucky and be able to buy some Creek jelly if I ever go into business.