Cherokee Grape Dumplings

* 2 quarts ripe, seeded grapes
* 3 cups water
* 2 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 2 tbsp. melted shortening
* 2 tbsp flour
* salt to taste

Boil grapes in 2 cups water over medium heat, use a heavy pot. When mixture boils, stir in sugar. In a bowl mix 1 cup water, shortening, salt and baking powder with flour. Dumplings may be formed with floured hands and dropped into the boiling juice mixture. Cover the mixture, let the dumplings boil for a few minutes, then set without heat for 5 - 10 minutes.

Grape Dumplings, Updated

* 1 cup flour
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 2 tsp sugar
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1 tbsp shortening
* 1/2 cup grape juice

Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and shortening. Add juice and mix into stiff dough. Roll dough very thin on floured board and cut into strips ½" wide (or roll dough in hands and break off pea-sized bits). Drop into boiling grape juice and cook for 10 - 12 minutes.

Some Cherokee cooks continue to make their grape dumplings by gathering and cooking wild grapes, or 'possum grapes' instead of grape juice.

The John Howard Payne Papers, a document from 1835 where the elders were interviewed for their knowledge of the old ways, tells us that around 1800, a grape dessert was made from boiling the grapes and mashing them and then adding corn meal to make a thick consistency. This seems to be the origin of what has been enjoyed for the last one hundred years or so as "Grape Dumplings."

from The Peoples' Path home page