Not only do table grapes make for great snacks, but by adding just a little heat, whether by roasting or saut?ing, their fruity flavour gets concentrated enhancing every dish they’re a part of.

There are three broad categories of grapes ? green, red and black. At the sweet end of the flavour spectrum are green grapes, which are best when eaten fresh. To add colour and flavour to dishes, go for red and black grapes. Looking for something sweet with a hint of tartness? Then red’s your grape. For a spicy hit, choose black grapes, which have a nice acidity.

Grapes are very versatile. You can add grapes, goat cheese, and walnuts to a fresh green salad or thread red grapes with lamb or chicken pieces on skewers. Brush with a favourite marinade and grill. This is delicious. Grapes, halved and tossed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and chopped basil is great on toasted garlic bread. When roasting chicken, you can add a few black grapes to the pan with a little stock. Pur?e, strain and season the pan juices for a delicious sauce. For the adventurous, a pizza topped with red onions, bacon, cheese and halved black or red grapes is different.

When buying grapes look for clusters with green, pliable stems. If you are not planning to eat the grapes immediately, don’t wash them. Grapes are best when stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. They should stay fresh for a few days.

chicken salad with grapes

Ingredients: 1 cooked chicken; 1 heaped tbs chopped celery; 110gm seedless green grapes, halved; 150ml mayonnaise; 75ml double cream; 6 spring onions, chopped; 1 small lettuce, washed and dried; few sprigs watercress; salt and pepper to taste

Method: Remove the skin from the chicken and slice the flesh into longish pieces where possible. Remove all the chicken from the bones and place all the meat in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise thoroughly with the cream, adding the chopped celery and finely chopped spring onions. Now pour the sauce over the chicken and mix it well so that all the chicken pieces get a good coating, then arrange it on a plate of crisp lettuce leaves. Garnish with green grapes and a few sprigs of watercress.