Wild Foraging - Spiced Muscadine Butter

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by being able to forage for my own food. As a kid, I loved going with my Dad to find dewberries patches at the beginning of summer. It seemed so satisfying to partake in all of the foraging activities and it even made the berries themselves taste that much better. We had a pecan tree and a pear tree in our backyard so as a kid I would often pretend that I was collecting my food supply for a life in the outdoors. I would ferret my collections away in my playhouse, known to me as my home in the wild. I would also sneak kumquats from a neighbor's tree from time to time. I think I find it so much more satisfying to be able to do the work of finding, picking, or growing food for myself. It's much more personal and involved than driving to a grocery store and buying say an apple. I would rather go to an orchard, take in the beauty, and do the work of harvesting apples myself. Maybe that's why I've become such an avid proponent of supporting farmers markets.

Late summer in East Texas means muscadines. Muscadines are a type of grape that are found growing in the wild throughout the South. From my experience, the vines love climbing up trees and tend to be in season in the late summer/early fall. In years past I've not been successful in picking any because the ones I see tend to grow at heights that would require a ladder. I got lucky recently while on the trail and spotted some within reach. I made a mental note of their location and returned to pick as many as I could manage. You can eat muscadines, though it's quite a chore as the skins are tough and they have a seed in the center that is not edible. They have a musky and sometimes peppery scent and taste, making their name rather appropriate.

My original plan was to make more of a jam, but I ended up completely pureeing the skins in my blender so I went with a fruit butter instead. The resulting butter is a gorgeous deep purple color with a velvety, thick texture. It has a nice sweet/tart flavor and pretty much tastes like fall in a jar thanks to the spices. I'll probably end up rationing it out to make it last a while unless I find another surprise cache of muscadines :)

Spiced Muscadine Butter
notes: this recipe is not formulated for canning

2 cups muscadine grapes, rinsed well
2-3 tbsp maple syrup or honey if not making it vegan
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
water as needed

Working over a medium sized saucepan, cut a slit in the top of each grape and squeeze out the pulp/seeds into the sauce pan. Place the skins in a blender and set them aside. Cover the pulp with about 1/2 inch of water, then place it on a burner set to medium-high heat.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the seeds separate from the pulp (about 15-20 minutes). While the pulp mixture is cooking, add just enough water to the blender to cover the skins, then blend until smooth. If your blender does not allow you to get a smooth puree/juice mixture, it will still work. You will just end up having more of a jam than a butter. When the pulp mixture is ready, strain out the seeds, then return the mixture to the pan along with the blended up skins. Stir in the maple syrup and spices and set the mixture over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the mixture for 30-60 minutes or until it thickens to an applesauce-like consistency. As the butter is cooking, make sure to stir it regularly to keep it from burning on the bottom. Also, skim off any foam that may rise to the surface. Once the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and put it into a clean jar.  Store the butter in the fridge.  It will keep for several weeks. Makes 1 heaping cup.