Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-17
OF Love
and Laughter
Grapes OF Plenty Grow
Right in the Back Yard
BY MARJORIE HOLMES

At dinnertme your says Whats for dessertP
Hey yknow whatd be good? Some nice fresh grapes to
eat Or that grape cake you used to make You know
where the grape Junk went all purple and gooey
through it?"
Horrible as you make it sound it was delicious at
that Listen--run out to the vines the garage we
might have some grapes in our Backyard"
Il doubt it," Your husband puts down his brefcase.
Birds got EN- nearly every year. remember? And this
mer were gone so much didn't get around even to
trimming them back Well I'll bel"
He gasps the screen door slams. For like some
small triumphant god of the vineyards his son comes
tdgng back huge purple clusters in each hand There's
millions of 'em out there mani"
That's funny" Your husband ponders But maybe
not trimming the leaves back was good thing The sun
couldn't get to them but neither could the birds!"
Whatever the reason, you all troop out and there
pearls just waiting to be pucked Watch out for the
bees -. May take some to my new teacher tomor-
row?" Make some jelly for once, will yuh, Mom?"
"Or grape Juice, oh, boy!"
IT won't guarantee either But I'll make that cake
you mentioned. If can find the recipe" you add
You return with fists and containers full. Grapes
become appetizer salad and dessert The children
suck them exchange the best methods of splitting out
the Argue the dire fate of anyone who swallows
them: "Grapeyines might grow inside you and get all
tangled up with your vens" . "Aaaah. But they will
give you appendicitis, won't they, Pop?"
Dishes cleared away you begin the hunt for the
long lost recipe IF find it We'll the cake tomorrow
you promise. "Or bedtime, if it's done"
Grape grape grape. You run through card files.
nnumerabe recipe books Grapes such an-exotc fruit
you think Smackng of the Orient. the Italian hillside.
pagan rites Beautiful in paintings draped around
other fruit in decorative bowls But not really at home in
the American kitchen somehow Except for the usual JAM
jelly and juice what you do with the lovely things?
Is that why grape recipes rare? So acualyelu
sive? So that when you've atched onto one even
then like some will-o'- the-wSp, it disappears?
oh good-oh, here it isl" The smudged and we-worn
clipping at last in your hand 1t out before package
mixes, imagine but surely of those the shelf will
substitute for the body of the cake itself
The beaten whirls. whey smell comes bubblng from
the And presently the fragrant product "a purple
and gooey emerges from the pan. Come and get it!
Everybody that's ready for bed"
Thick as the bees making the contended buzz,
they swarm around Boy oh. boy - glad you
remembered Just think-grapes in our own back yard"
Grape Upside-Down Cake -.
Two pounds of purple grapes preferably from your
back yard ourths of sugar Your favorte
small light cake recipe or the package kind.
Wash grapes and separate skins from pulp Cook pulp
until soft. Sieve to seeds Add skins. Stir in
and cook until skins tender (about is minutes
There should be about two of pulp Spread this
the top of cake batter and bake in moderate
about As minutes.
The grape layer sinks to the bottom during baking
Especially good served warm with whipped cream