Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
Sandi Sharpe knew the call would come, she just wasn’t sure exactly when. You see, every year in June, (often around the same time as the Greek Festival) a small group of local women pay a visit to her Linwood vineyard to pick grape leaves to use throughout the year for their delicious stuffed grape leaves. When the calendar flips to June and the leaves start to grow, Sharpe knows the phone will soon ring asking if it’s okay to pick some new grape leaves. Apparently, the best day for choosing leaves this year was June 8. As a thank you, the women happily bring a sampling of their homemade culinary treats.
Mrs. Sharpe’s vineyard now consists of 12 rows of grapevines on four acres, but the original Krumm farm started by her parents was 50 acres. In 2004, David Krumm, Sr. (Mrs. Sharpe’s dad), sold three acres to the City of Linwood for the sake of preserving the land and the grape vines. Divided by a fence, the remaining grapevines on both properties are about 100 years old. Mrs. Sharpe allows family and friends to visit her vineyard to pick grapes in the summer for jelly, jam, and wine. June, however, is the perfect time for picking grape leaves.
This June, Voula Xenoanes came with her friend Sharon Posner to pick the grape leaves that they will use in recipes this year. Voula came to the United States from Sparta, Greece, over 60 years ago but brought the knowledge of making amazing Greek food with her, as taught by her own mother. In turn, Voula shares her knowledge of picking and preparing the leaves. According to Voula (who also taught Sharon), each branch must have six to seven leaves. They then look at the third leaf from the end. The leaves below this will be too small, but the third leaf should be just the right size and will be tender enough to fold. The women pick approximately 100 leaves, which they will then blanch in hot water before freezing to use later. When they are ready to prepare the stuffed grape leaves, the women sauté onion, garlic, spices, and rice with meat, also using olive oil, mint, and parsley. If your mouth isn’t already watering, Voula takes her prepared grape leaves to the next level by topping them with a special sauce: avgolemono. It is a traditional Greek egg-lemon sauce that is also used in soups and other Greek dishes.
Of course, everyone has their own way of making different foods. Voula explained that another way to make the grape leaves is to omit the meat, increase the amount of onions and use a lot of scallions and dill as filling. But Voula likes to use meat to make the grape leaves a complete meal. When asked if leftover stuffed grape leaves can be frozen, Voula said that when she makes this dish for her big family, “we don’t usually have any left.” We are grateful for good cooks like Voula for being willing to pass their recipes and culture on to the next generation.
We also love to hear from our readers. Do you have family recipes and traditions to share with others? Kindly send your comments and questions to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton lives with her husband, children, and crazy pets while enjoying a life of gardening, cooking, and going to the beach.
