HOW TO: Wash Grapes The Right Way

HOW TO: Wash Grapes The Right Way

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Grapes are by far one of the hardest fruits to wash thoroughly, as they’re always coated with that white, waxy stuff that just doesn’t come off with a regular rinse. For other fruits and vegetables, I just spray them with a water/vinegar mixture, let sit, then rub and rinse clean. If I sat down to rub and rinse every single grape on the vine, I wouldn’t even want grapes anymore by the time I was finished!
In the past, I would just rinse them quickly under water, maybe rub them a little before I ate them, and that was it. The last time I picked up some beautiful red grapes from the store, I popped one in my mouth and was completely overwhelmed by the bitter taste of the waxy coating.

I stopped right there and went on a search for how to wash off this coating once and for all. Let me tell you, that search was not easy! I finally found a blog which suggested the use of salt, so I took it one step further and added some baking soda to the mix for extra scrubbing action, and I’m happy to say, it totally worked! I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves
Here’s a before picture, just for reference. Look at all that wax!

So here’s what you do. First, remove the grapes from the stem, give them a quick rinse, and place them in a wide, shallow bowl.

Then sprinkle about 1-2 teaspoons of salt on the grapes.

Sprinkle another 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda on there.

Then grab the bowl and shake it vigorously from side to side and front to back, for about 30 seconds to a minute. You want to make sure they’re scrubbed nice and well by the salt and baking soda. Get your kids involved – I’m sure they’d love an opportunity to shake things up with you in the kitchen!

Finally, rinse very well under cold water. Lightly rub your hand over the top to help with the rinsing to remove all traces of salt.

That’s it! Enjoy your clean, tasty grapes!
NOTE: After more research, I found that the wax is actually produced by the grape itself to help prevent moisture loss. There’s also a layer of dirt and dust, as well as pesticide residue. So, the wax itself is not harmful, but the pesticide residue surely is! Only wash what you will eat right away, as the extra moisture from washing will speed up their decay.
How do you wash your grapes? I’d love to hear of other methods you’re using!

From: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/04/09/how-to-wash-grapes-the-right-way/