Food Review: Organic Concord Grape Jelly by Crofter's

When is it not peanut butter jelly time? I know, I know, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but who can deny that many, many Americans think nothing of putting together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, right quick. At least of late, that's what I'm back to doing late evening. And it's a review of the grape jelly on those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that I've been eating that I'd like to share with you; a food review of a grape jelly from those familiar Concord grapes: Crofter's Organic Concord Grape Jelly.

I don't know about you but whenever I see two different grape jellies or jams, one with Concord grapes and one without, without question I've always reached for the grape jelly with the Concord grapes. I have a penchant for Concord grape jelly and jam because it simply tastes better.

Concord Grapes

Concord grapes are purple table grapes that are also known as slip skin grapes. They're from the northeastern U.S., and according to Wikipedia, "the Concord grape was developed in 1849 by Ephraim Wales Bull in Concord, Massachusetts." Hence, the name of these beautiful-looking table grapes you often see in pictures.

I looked up the definition of concord, because I thought I'd take this food review in a slightly different direction, working off of this particular definition for concord.

One definition of concord: a harmonious state of things in general and of their properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts with one another and with the whole.

That's just what Crofter's Organic Concord Grape Jelly was, too: agreeable

Food Reviews: Grapes: Organic Concord Grape Jelly by Crofter's ( Taste )

The taste didn't impress me to the point that from here on out I'll make sure to always pick up a jar of Crofter's Organic Concord Grape Jelly when I'm out of jelly; but, it certainly was agreeable and good. It wasn't nearly as sweet-tasting as Welch's Grape Jelly, which has in it high fructose corn syrup AND corn syrup in addition to the already-present sugar in grapes. Then again, once you get used to food not overloaded with sugar and salt, which is typical of the American diet, who wants such sweetness, anyway. Perhaps, the flavor could have been a little more grown up in the grape flavor department. It certainly wasn't the grapiest jelly I've ever had. Even so, its grapey flavor was just enough, agreeable.

Food Reviews: Grapes: Organic Concord Grape Jelly by Crofter's ( Color & Texture)

When making your own homemade jelly, one of the things you'll notice that's different from many, many commercially-made jellies is color. Homemade jellies tend to have more translucent colors, and that's how Crofter's coloring came across. The jelly wasn't too heavy in body nor too light, and had easily spreadable quality about it.

Food Reviews: Grapes: Organic Concord Grape Jelly by Crofter's ( Ingredients )

Neither do homemade jellies have high-fructose corn syrup in them, just the same as Crofter's doesn't have high fructose corn syrup in it.

Crofter's Organic Concord Grape Jelly Ingredients: organic Concord grape juice from concentrate ( water, organic Concord grape juice concentrate ), organic natural milled sugar, natural fruit pectin, ascorbic acid, citric acid.

Now compare the ingredients to the following Welch's Concord Grape Jelly ingredients: Concord grapes, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, fruit pectin, citric acid, sodium citrate

Food Reviews: Grapes: Organic Concord Grape Jelly by Crofter's ( Price & Conclusion)

The only bunch of shriveled grapes about reviewing this food is the cost for an eleven-ounce jar of Concord Organic Concord Grape Jelly: $3.49. While the jelly itself is a nice product, in that its taste, texture, coloring and ingredients-especially, that the ingredients are organic-make for a well-rounded grape jelly, I'm still listening at the grapevine for less expensive organic Concord Grape jellies, if you know of any out there.