Grape Salad

My husband and I like to have breakfast at a restaurant on the weekends. It is a locally-owned diner in the next city over from where we live.

The diner sits on a corner of the town Square. The town square is the type that has a large courthouse that sits in the middle. There are buildings on the opposite side of the street that form a square around the courthouse. It is like a town from the past.

The diner is located in a building built in the late 1800s. My understanding is that there has always been a restaurant in this location. So there’s some charm about that for me.

Until a few years ago, there were railroad tracks directly in front of the diner. Back in the early 1900s, when travel from city to city was mainly on trains, it was a stop where the weary travelers could rest and grab a bite to eat.

On the other side of the square is a two-story tavern. It also serviced the train passengers, but in a completely different way. Because it was a tavern, it had small rooms upstairs that served as the town’s hotel.
My guess is many crazy things happened in that tavern/hotel.

I love the old charm of the Town, And I love sitting at one of the old tables in the diner, looking at the old brick walls, and just imagining the stories they could tell.

At the diner, they serve great food, which keeps people coming back.
The last time we had breakfast there, I noticed grape salad on the menu.
I had never heard of it before, and although it did not sound appetizing, I gave it a try.
After one bite, I realized that this was my new favorite thing. I could’ve eaten It as my meal.

That day I rushed home and started working on my recipe. It took a few tries but, I think this is close to what they serve. I decided to add candied walnuts and brown sugar as a topping. I think that makes an excellent addition.

The grapes are juicy, and the sauce that coats them is creamy and tangy. The candied Pecan topping is outrageous. These elements together make one of the best dishes I have ever tasted.

Give this recipe a try. Here is some advice, stay away from the old tavern; who knows what’s going on in there! Enjoy!

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Grape Salad

Delisious and refreshing, perfect for a pitch-in.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword dougbakes.com, Grape Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Author Doug Bakes Staff

Ingredients

Grape Salad Ingredients

• 2 cups cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 pounds red grape
• 2 pounds green grapes
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup candied pecans, plus more for the topping

Candied Pecan Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

Grape Salad Instructions

1. in a bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and mix until fully incorporated. Tip: make sure cream cheese is at room temp in order for it to mix well without lumps.

2. mix in candied pecans

3. add grapes, and mix until they are coated.

4. before serving, sprinkle brown sugar, candied pecans over the top.

Candied Pecan Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper 

2. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, water to a medium pan. 

3. Over medium heat, cook until the brown sugar melts into a bubbling sauce, about 1 minute, stirring continuously.

4. Add the pecans and stir to coat with the brown sugar sauce, stirring continuously until the pecans look coated and candied. At this point, they will smell nutty, 2 to 3 minutes. 

5. As the nuts heat up, they will become shiny. Be cautious not to burn the nuts.

6. Pour the candied pecans into the baking sheet and spread evenly. 

7. Using a fork, separate the pecans to prevent cooling in clumps.

8. Allow the pecans to cool down before serving.