Perfection Fresh (Aust)
In season - Australia's finest grapes
Indulge in Midnight Beauty® this Christmas...
Premium Australian-grown Midnight Beauty® seedless black grapes are in-store from now until March and this season is shaping up as one of the best yet.
These decadent grapes - one of the few black AND seedless grapes available in Australia are revered for their elongated, luscious berries and fresh-eating appeal.
Impressively large berries and outstanding colour make Midnight Beauty® grapes the perfect fruity ingredient for festive and summer entertaining recipes.
Midnight Beauty® - a cool summer snack
The true connoisseurs' grape, Midnight Beauty® grapes are made for fresh eating so blemishes are a no-no. Growers achieve perfect presentation by separating bunches on the vine to stop them rubbing.
They are handpicked when fully ripe and sold ready to eat. Full-bodied and firm, they are best eaten chilled straight off the bunch. They are also fantastic in an array of sweet or savoury dishes.
Festive ideas for Midnight Beauty®
- Midnight Beauty® grape juice popsicles are a healthy alternative to bought ice blocks and easy to make. Pour freshly pulped grape juice into popsicle moulds and freeze.
- Make frosted Midnight Beauty® grapes by brushing with sugar syrup and drying on a wire rack. Hang on the side of a glass filled with fruit salad for dramatic effect.
- Rinse a bunch of Midnight Beauty® grapes, dry well and freeze overnight. The next day you will have bite-sized balls of grape ice - luxurious to drop into cocktails or serve as poolside refreshments.
- For a gourmet cheese and fruit platter, partner Midnight Beauty® with mature brie or camembert, piquant blue, tangy goat's cheese or creamy fresh cottage, marscapone or ricotta.
Health benefits of Midnight Beauty®
Midnight Beauty® grapes are packed with anthocyanins - phytonutrients which give the red, purple and blue colour to fruits and vegetables and act as powerful antioxidants to help protect the body against cancer. Grapes are also a low calorie fruit and a source of fibre, which aids digestion.
Black and red seedless grapes have been shown to lower the risk of developing blood clots which lead to heart attacks, prevent damage to blood vessels in the heart and help maintain a healthy blood pressure. They're also beneficial in reducing cholesterol.
Selection and storage
Choose Midnight Beauty® grapes with a uniform colour, virtually intact "bloom" (silvery coating on the skin) and fresh green stems. Store unwashed in the fridge, rinse before use and use within four days.
Where to find them
Midnight Beauty® seedless black grapes are widely available. Look for them at your supermarket or greengrocer where they are sold loose by the bunch.
From the vineyard
Midnight Beauty® seedless black grapes are grown in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Midnight Beauty® grower Ross Cordoma's vineyard in Central Queensland's Emerald district spans 135 hectares. This month alone, the vineyard will harvest some 30,000 boxes of gorgeous Midnight Beauty® grapes.
The Midnight Beauty® story
Midnight Beauty® grapes were bred in the early 1990s by Sun World researchers in California. The first commercial crop was harvested in 1997.
Australian-grown Midnight Beauty® seedless black grapes were first sent to market in 2006 following years of trials and testing. It can take up to 25 years to develop a grape variety commercially.
