Buffalo Rising Online

If you have ever tasted a Concord grape pie, you can attest to the fact that the flavor lives on in your memory, long after you have wiped the last crumb from your lips.

My first memory of pie made with grapes dates back more than 20 years, while I was on a wine tour in the New York State Finger Lakes region. As I was driving through the country side, I was surprised to see that the roads were dotted with various sizes of roadside stands, orchards, vineyards and farmers, each displaying their prized offerings. One of the stands I passed posted a sign that read, “Homemade Concord Grape Pies”. I thought, “Grape pie, what would that taste like?” So I turned around and drove back to the stand and bought a pie. Needless to say I have been hooked ever since.

The recipe for a grape pie requires patience. You must process the grapes to insure a seedless and skinless filling, and it is arduous to say the least. This process has always been a major deterrent to making this sumptuous tr…