Sterilize your jar by either running it through the dishwasher or washing it in hot soapy water. Do not touch the inside of the jar once you’ve sterilized it. Wash the lid, too.

Drop the bay leaf, coriander, and fennel seeds into the jar.

Remove any rotted grapes.

Any grapes that have naturally dried out a bit are safe to use in the pickle.

Wash and dry the grapes well. Break or scissor them apart into clusters. Place in the jar.

Put the sugar, vinegar, and wine in a small, nonreactive pan. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir with a wooden spoon to help sugar dissolve. Cover the pan and allow to barely simmer for a minute or so.

Taste the brine: it should tart, but not eye-watering. If it’s too tart, or too sweet, adjust accordingly, adding either more sugar or vinegar.

Allow the brine to cool completely. Once it’s cool, pour it over the grapes, put the lid on the jar, and label with name and date.

Refrigerate pickle for one week before eating.

Pickled grapes keep indefinitely. Rodgers advises refrigeration. They could be safely kept in a cool area, but why tempt fate?

Pickled grapes act as a foil to rich dishes like beef or turkey. Rodgers suggests adding a few to a pan of chicken livers just before serving. They would also work well in salads, and yes, as part of cheese board.

Note on safety

Pickled grapes are preserved using vinegar with 5% acetic acid, which ensures long term keeping. Avoid rice vinegars for this recipe. They are delicious, but at 2-3%, too low in acetic acid to ensure long term safe storage.

It is safest to refrigerate your pickled grapes.

Organic or low pesticide grapes are best for this recipe. Search for seedless grapes; you don’t want to be crunching seeds.