We love Alton Brown. Me more for taste, Jim more for the science of cooking as he wonders about this, my strange preponderance with food. Mr. Brown has a Welch’s ad on television that is filmed in Erie County, NY. A preponderance of Concord grapes can be found in Chautauqua County, home of the WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union), more grapes than anywhere and they are grafting vinifera and don’t have phylloxera because of the strength of the vines.
The home of the WCTU is a small Victorian house in Chautauqua Institution, and Chautauqua is a place where our family shares a history. Butternut Hollow in Portland, Chautauqua NY may help you do a show on the story of grapes in Chautauqua County. My blog’s biggest hits come from my home-town Concord grape post, one of my first posts. Yes, and Manischewitz was right down the street from my childhood home.
Your show should come from Chautauqua County and include grape pies, schiattiata con al’uva and other delights. The Italian “pizza” is a dough that is risen once and rolled out, grapes are added (with seeds) and left to rise again, sugar is added and it is baked. Yum! I’ve only had that in Tuscany. Perhaps there’s a book in the mail that will bring us further on the grape trail… ‘Til then, cheers, Dee
Cooking with Dee 