Moon Drop Grapes: Everything You Need to Know

I became addicted to roasted moon drop grapes after giving them a try, especially when I combined them with creamy ricotta and crusty bread. It makes them special. Also, the grape’s sweetness matches cheese, particularly strong cheeses like blue cheese, Gorgonzola and Roquefort.

Once in a while, you should elevate your taste buds with moon drop grapes. These extraordinary, extraterrestrial fruits’ shape, size, and flavor are unmatched.

Uniquely, it has changed the idea of how grapes should look like. We all think grapes should be rounded or oval, but the moon drop grape has an elongated shape, making a bite crisp and amazing. Keep reading to know more about this type of grapes if you love fruit snacking.

What are Moon Drop Grapes?

Moon drop grapes are seedless grapes with a tubular form and color similar to eggplant. They are mostly cultivated in the San Joaquin Valley in California, have a short growing season, and are available from August 20 to November 15.

Moondrop grapes are a type of hybrid grape, which means they are a result of the breeding of two distinct grape varieties. They were produced by fusing Vitis Vinifera and Vitis Labruscana, two already-existing grape species.

The grape’s skin is glossy, taut, smooth, and semi-thick. The skin is also moderately to heavily blue-bloomed and dark purple, frequently appearing black. 

This bloom is delicious and natural but may be removed by simply wiping the surface. The transparent purple-green flesh is crispy, seedless, and watery underneath the skin and has a snap.

These succulent blue grapes, sometimes known as Sapphire grapes, taste just as good as they look. They have a rich sweetness that is moderated by a hint of acidity. Although naturally juicy, they are hard and crisp enough to cut in half easily.

Jack Pandol, a farmer in the San Joaquin Valley, invented them. Moon drops, which he first began growing in 2009, have recently gained popularity.

What are the Health Benefits?

Moon drop grapes are getting more and more well-liked because of their sweet flavor and beneficial qualities. Here is the reason why these types of greats are your healthy option for snacking or dessert.

1. They contain 33% of the daily value (DV) for the mineral manganese, Thiamin, vitamin C, and vitamin B6 in trace levels.
2. The low-calorie dessert helps you lose weight, and a reasonable value for the glycemic index, and acts as a source of resveratrol.
3. Also, the grapes contain potassium to maintain fluid balance in the body, vitamin K to aid in quicker wound healing, and other nutrients like flavonoids and copper.
4. Moon grapes, like other grapes, have many health advantages. They can support blood sugar balance, preserve your brain, and maintain heart health.
5. They even assist in keeping you hydrated. The 82% water content of grapes means that eating grapes as snacks will assist your body in acquiring the water it needs.
6. Moon drop grapes are a healthy snack since they are low in calories and sugar.

Why are they Called Moon Drop Grapes?

It’s unclear why these grapes were given that name by the grapery who created them. The grapes’ reputed similarity to a water drop may have contributed to their given name.

Others say that the term comes from the tiny, spherical orbs frequently spotted growing on rocks resembling the moon. Sometimes, it’s called moon drop, but its official name is Moon Grape.

What Do Moon Drop Grapes Taste Like?

In general, moon drop grapes taste sweeter and have a stronger flavor than Concord grapes, which are more widely available. Moon drop grapes taste like a concentrated Welch’s grape juice diluted with less water than recommended. They taste grapey and sweet and are frequently compared to cotton candy grapes or candy pops.

Because of how they were created, these fruits may be a friend to picky eaters, those with sensory challenges, and those with texture issues. Unlike other grape varietals, this type of grape often has a firmer texture.

They are also dependably hard but yielding throughout and seedless. Breeding this grape variety may be a technique to reintroduce fruit into the snacking routine for people who find it challenging to consume fruit with uneven textures.

What are Moon Drop Grapes Good for?

Moon drop grapes will massively increase your charcuterie platter if you want to give it a little extra spice. These grapes will impress your guests or make a delicious snack only for you if you place them on your cheese plates with a crisp Granny Smith apple that has been thinly cut into pieces.

You can use them in dishes even if they are excellent snacks. They are versatile because of their solid texture, which makes them suitable for freezing or cooking. 

Moon drop grapes can also be skewered onto fruit kabobs, combined into fruit bowls, and added to salads. For a sweet addition, try cutting the grapes to salsa or freezing them to serve as a delicious treat or combine them into a slushie. Split them in half and serve them with salty cheeses for an interesting snack.

Cooked grapes go well with hearty meat meals and pasta, ice cream, and toast. These grapes go well with cheese and wine platters. In addition to being a delicious snack, these grapes can be used to make jams, jellies, and juice.

They can be roasted with salt and lemon, blistered, and served with bitter greens like turnip, mustard greens, brussels sprouts, or even frozen for a cool and satisfying snack. These grapes are often purple or crimson, with occasional black grapes.

This grape variety also works well with various foods, including pistachios, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts; blue, ricotta, goat, and gorgonzola cheeses; pineapple, berries, melons, bananas, rosemary, mint, fennel, pork, chicken, and duck.

Where Can You Find Moon Drop Grapes?

Moon drops are a relatively uncommon variety of grape. They are typically available at Whole Foods, a nearby grapery, specialty grocery stores, and farmers’ markets. They are marketed in bunches that are still attached to the vine.

The grapery is the sole manufacturer of moon drop grapes because they have the grape’s patent. If moon drop Grapes are available, purchase a few packets and freeze them. They are tasty when thawed or frozen and freeze well. They might also be accessible at your neighborhood store since they are growing in popularity.

When choosing Moon Drops at the supermarket, look for rectangular grapes with a small indentation at the end. Each cluster of grapes should have a lot of them, and they should all be firm. It’s important to inspect any loose grapes that have fallen off the bunch to make sure they haven’t started to rot.

Conclusion

The next time you see these pretty weird grapes, feel free to give them a chance and try something new. Grab as many bags of these grapes as possible due to their unique flavor.

Although these grapes are crisp and cool, they wouldn’t make wonderful wine since they need to be ripe enough and have the right proportion of peel to seed to the pulp, giving the wine its characteristic flavor.