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Zante currants, Corinth raisins, Corinthian raisins or simply currants, are of the small, sweet, seedless grape cultivar Black Corinth ( Vitis vinifera). The name comes from the Anglo-French phrase "raisins de Corinthe" (grapes of Corinth) (1987). 9780716602873, Doubleday & Company, Inc. ISBN 9780716602873 and the Ionian Islands island of Zakynthos (Zante), which was once the major producer and exporter. It is not related to blackcurrant, redcurrant or , which are berries of shrubs in the genus Ribes and not usually prepared in dried form.
Clusters of Black Corinth are small, averaging and ranging from . They are cylindrical, with prominent shoulder or winged. The berries are very small , round, and of a reddish black color. The skin is very thin, and the flesh is juicy and soft. It is practically seedless, except in an occasional large berry. When dried, the raisins weigh and are dark brown or black. Leaves are
medium-sized, heart-shaped, and oblong. They are five-lobed with deep sinuses.
The Black Corinth cultivar is also reputed to be very prone to powdery mildew, and is susceptible to numerous other diseases such as downy mildew and black rot.
Greece is still the primary producer of Zante currants, amounting to about 80% of total world production, with California, South Africa and Australia sharing most of the remainder.
They have been a key ingredient of British cuisine for centuries, having been imported from the Mediterranean as sweet luxury goods long before cane sugar became widely available in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Alongside and sultanas they feature heavily in a wide variety of traditional baked goods recipes, including fruitcake, currant buns, teacakes, , Saffron cake, bread and butter pudding, spotted dick, Welsh cakes, Bara brith, Christmas pudding and mince pies. They are also a major ingredient of currant slice (or currant square) and currant cake.
Unlike blackcurrants, Zante currants are not a significant source of vitamin C. The fresh fruit Zante raisins are made from is very small and sweet, with quite an intense flavour for a grape. Black, White and Red Corinth are often marketed under the name "Champagne grapes" in U.S. specialty stores, but they are not used for making Champagne.
Cultivation
To yield sufficient fruit, Black Corinth grapes need to be carefully managed. In ancient times, girdling was a standard practice to increase the set and size of seedless grapes, until the discovery of the plant hormone gibberellic acid, and its ability to do the same thing with less labor. Historically, Black Corinth stock was probably kept for its pollen-producing abilities, so other female flowered varieties (with naturally higher yields) would set full crops.
Culinary use
Zante currants are usually called simply "currants" and in many anglophone countries are used in traditional baked goods and puddings.
Toxicity
Along with grapes and raisins, Zante currants are Nephrotoxicity to dogs. This toxicity manifests as kidney failure and can be seen in relatively small doses.
See also
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