The Southerner's Grape Jam

My co-worker brought in some Jam that she was busy canning over the last weekend.   We popped some biscuits in the old antique oven (Betsy) at work to go along with the Jam.

I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.  My favorite jam is Red Plum Jam.  I was raised on it and I have brought my kids up loving it.   I also have my co-worker's loving it.    This Jam, known as the Southerner's Grapes was so good.    What was it?  It was Scuppernong.  

The state fruit of North Carolina, and they named it after North Caroliina's Scuppernon River.   That's where the grapes were originally found growing wild.  Identified and cultivated in the 17th Century.  

 “Scuppernong” is a bronze grape that was the first muscadine cultivar.   The original mother vine is on Roanoke Island, where it has been growing and producing for several hundred years. Because of its botanical primogeniture, the common name scuppernong entered common usage to refer to any bronze muscadine grape. Botanical correctness dictates that “Scuppernong” should only designate the cultivar and not all color types. While muscadine cultivars cover a spectrum of colorful shades, there are two primary color types -- black (or purple) and bronze.

If you are from the South, at some point you probably had or at least heard of  muscadine jam or jelly.  The species of grapes are native to the Southern United States.  When I was growing up, we had a muscadine bush in the back yard.  My mama would love to make jelly out of it.   I hear the wine is good as well!

I found a recipe for this wonderful jam:   https://www.deepsouthdish.com/2013/09/muscadine-and-scuppernong-jelly.html

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