Wednesday, July 16, 2008

North Carolina Symbols Part III


State Fruit, Scuppernong Grape - Designated by General Assembly in 2001 Scuppernong Grape became North Carolina State Fruit. The name comes from the Scuppernong River in North Carolina, where it was found and first cultivated during the 17th century. Scuppernong is our nation's first cultivated grape.The name itself traces back to the Algonquian word ascopo meaning "sweet bay tree".
The fruit consists of four parts: the outer skin or hull; the pulp, or 'meat'; seeds; and juice.
Several small green seeds are found in each grape. The skin is very thick and tart. The pulp is viscous and sweet. The seeds, which are bitter, can be swallowed with the pulp or extracted and spit out. The most desired part of the scuppernong is the sweet juice that lies underneath its skin.
In addition, according to herbal lore, eating this whole grape also has health benefits. The hull adds a significant amount of fiber to the diet; while the seeds when chewed provide a grape-seed extract that can aid in improving memory and other functions. While no scientific validation of this fact is availalble, it still makes for another good excuse to enjoy this truly Southern delicacy.


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