Good morning, Lovers. Let’s talk about grapes.
Despite what Crayola and first grade textbooks may tell you, not all grapes are purple. In fact, green grapes are commonly found at your local grocer. They can also be white, blue, yellow, red, pink, brown, white or even black.
Every bit of the plant has a use, including its vines, which become food for growing insects. By humans however, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, 75,866 square kilometres of the world is dedicated to grapes, and approximately 71% of world grape production is used for wine, 27% as fresh fruit, and 2% as dried fruit. With those out of the way, there remains a portion for the part of your breakfast that “contains 1% grape juice.”
Of course, different colours mean different tastes. While there is much love for purple grape juice, white grape juice is often left feeling bad for its sour self further down the aisle. Red and white wines, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Merlot are leagues different in colour and taste, but all have that same base ingredient.
Aside from grapes, there was a time when Crayola manufactured “Violet (purple),” and they’re right to insist because it’s a common mistake, and easier for children to remember. In common conversation, violet is purple, and purple is violet. In fact, purple is actually used to describe the colour between violet and magenta on the colour wheel. Violet itself is between purple and blue, and when shaded brighter, this becomes more easily apparent as it appears to have more blue than red. Violet, the plant, (violaceae viola) is not exclusive to purples. Some are yellow, or blue. Some are white, or off-white. Some can’t decide and can be yellow and blue. Violet is also a girl’s name, or a music instrument in the violin/viola family.
No offence to purple, which isn’t a spectral colour, but while these three colour names do overlap in similarity, it’s almost not fair to say they’re all purple.
