The ‘Strawberry Grape’ season is here! (Oct ’18)

We call it Uva fragola and it’s no ordinary grape. It has a wonderfully sweet flavour of its own.

Originary from North America, ‘Uva Fragola’ (Vitis labrusca), has become very popular in Northern and Central Italy. In Massaciuccoli, Tuscany, where my dad grows it, they use it to make Fragolino, a sweet red wine, slightly fizzy that goes very well with a fruit tart at the end of a meal. Some people also use it to make a sweet focaccia. I like it like that, straight from the plant, it takes me back to my childhood.

On my last visit, last week, I managed to taste the last red figs, to see the pomegranate growing nicely and to check on the olive trees. If the rain doesn’t bring too much damage it looks like this year the oil will be plentiful.