These are Champagne grapes, but not the kind used to make champagne. They are also known as miniature currant grapes and Corinth grapes.

I picked these up at Trader Joe’s. Grown in the U.S.A. and only $1.79 per pound. I love finding little surprises like this at Trader Joe’s.

I soak all my fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water and vinegar. They are delicate little grapes, so you have to be gentle when handling them.

Champagne grapes are seedless and easy to eat. They are slightly crunchy and tart, but is soon replaced with intense sweetness. Even the wrinkly ones are good too. It’s like eating raisins off the vine.

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Since I’ve been making soap, I usually don’t buy commercial soap anymore. But once in a while I like to pick out some handmade soaps I find on sale, especially ones made with good oils. The last time I was at Pier One Imports (and browsing the clearance bins), I found these pure olive oil Greek soaps selling at 98 cents for 120 g or 4.2 oz. They usually sell for $3.50. Made by Agno in honey blossom. The Greek name “AGNO” stands for the term “PURE” in Greek language. It’s a good deal, so I bought two to try out first. Handmade soaps usually retail for $3 or more each.

I loved the picture of the honey being drizzled in the bowl from the packaging. But it wasn’t until I got home that I realized the honey blossom was just fragrance. I thought they had added real honey as the soap smell just like real beeswax. I’ve heard that adding beeswax and honey to soap makes the bar harder, but I have not experiment with it yet. But I have some handmade body lotions with pure beeswax and it smells great. Read the rest of this entry »