How to Buy, Store, and Cook with Grapes, in Season in September

September is the best time for produce—we get the tail end of summer’s fruits and veggies, and the beginning of fall’s. Right now, we’re taking you through the seasonal ingredients you should be cooking with this month. Today: grapes.

Think of all the things you can make with grapes. Wine! Jam! Vinegar! Juice! SODA! And that's not even counting the endless recipes for appetizers, dinners, and desserts. Grapes were so important in ancient times that the Greeks even had a god of the grape harvest, Dionysus. (He also specialized in wine and partying, naturally.) And guess what? The grape harvest is now, and it's time to channel your inner Dionysus and make a bunch of grape recipes, from soups to pies to salads. And please, please, please: Don't forget to drink some wine along with it.

Read on for tips on buying, storing, and cooking with this sacred fruit, and check out the slideshow above for recipe inspiration.

HOW TO BUY
Look for grapes that are heavy for their size, plump, firm, and fragrant. Avoid shriveled fruit, and if a lot of grapes have come off their stem, check the stem to make sure that there's no mold or discoloration.

HOW TO STORE
Don't wash grapes before storage—the moisture can penetrate their skin. Refrigerate grapes in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to a week. If they are moist when you buy them, put a paper towel in the bag. Most grapes have been sprayed with insecticide and should be washed thoroughly before use.