It is thought that the grape follows us from Mesopotamia to our local supermarket. Incredible! But that’s the fact. The grape is one of the earliest cultivated fruits on earth. The scientific name of the grape is Vitis vinifera.
In ancient times, grapes were consumed only as wild fruit. However, grapes didn’t remain wild for too long. The grape is believed to have originated near the Black sea. According to the research, in 6,000 BC, grapes were cultivated in Mesopotamia. Since then, there was no looking back. It soon migrated towards the middle-east region; in Phoenicia and Egypt and then onward – never stopping.
The Scientific Name of Grape
Grapes are vigorous, deciduous vines, which can grow 60 – 100 ft in the wild. These fruits are borne in small, loose clusters and may contain 3 – 40 grapes in one bunch. Each fruit is round or oval in shape, covered with thin, smooth skin. The color of the fruit may vary from green to red to purple or black depending upon the species. Grape flesh is extremely juicy, seedless or with small soft seeds and tastes sweet or sour.
Fresh grapes are health potential fruits. They are enriched with Vitamin C, minerals, and dietary fibers. According to recent studies, a fresh grape contains antioxidants that help in fighting diseases like cancer or heart disease.
The grape is the only fruit that is accepted for preparing wine since prehistoric times. Greeks, who were very choosy about wines, praised grapes and started the serious practice of using grapes in winemaking. However, it was the Romans, who mastered the art of grape growing and processing for wine.
Though the grape is popular for the fruit for wine, it is also commonly eaten fresh as a whole fruit. Try ripe juicy grapes – they are awesome! Grapes are also consumed as juice – fresh or canned. Moreover, grapes are used as an ingredient in salads, as the toppings on cake, ice cream, puddings, and jellies. Or simply cut the grapes into slices, sprinkle sugar and add cream – you will get a heavenly taste!
