History
Because August 6th falls over the grape harvest, Transfiguration has historically been associated with the blessing of grapes. You can find the rite for the blessing of grapes in the 1964 Roman Ritual, but some of the earliest records of the grape-inspired transfiguration traditions date back to the fourth century.
It is said that because Christ vowed not to drink of the fruit of the vine until his resurrection (Matthew 26:29), this feast is especially meaningful, as grapes are a symbol of the resurrection, reflecting the glimpse of Jesus’ glory seen on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Many people will gather their grapes with thanksgiving, place them in a lovely basket, and bring them into church for the priest’s blessing. Moreover, it is especially fitting to enjoy a nice wine on this feast and other grapes in the form of jellies, salad, and even cornbread!
Recipe
We hope you enjoy this refreshing summer salad that comes together in no time, especially if you prepare your baked chicken ahead of time! Feel free to customize it and make it your own. This time of year, fresh garden-grown tomatoes go splendidly in salads, just as it can be nice to add in extra greens such as sliced peppers, cucumbers, or sprouts. The walnuts can be substituted with your favorite salad nut or omitted to pinch pennies.
If you have leftover grapes, you can always serve them on the side. But we might suggest a delicious frozen grape dessert that is as simple as tossing the grapes in the freezer and pulling them out when the family needs a cool, refreshing treat.
This recipe includes the same homemade mayonnaise featured in our Ascension Day Recipe post. If you haven’t tried making your own mayonnaise yet, we highly recommend it! You get to control the type of oil (the flavors of olive and coconut oils will be detectable in the mayo, but avocado is nearly tasteless), how much salt, sugar, etc. to make it perfect for your taste.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ C homemade mayonnaise (see below)
1 bunch of grapes halved
⅓ C walnuts chopped
½ onion chopped
black pepper
Homemade Mayonnaise
1 egg
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
squeeze of lime or lemon
¾ C olive oil
Instructions
- Bake chicken at 350° F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken and place in a bowl to cool in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Make up the homemade mayonnaise (see instructions below) and add to the chicken once cooled along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Serve over a bed of your favorite greens and enjoy!
Homemade Mayonnaise
- Combine all of the ingredients in a tall, slender glass, such as a mason jar or drinking cup.
- Using an immersion blender, fully submerge the blade and blend for 5-10 seconds until the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken. Slowly work the blender up and down to incorporate all of the oil. Set aside.
Transfiguration Grape Salad
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ C homemade mayonnaise (see below)
- 1 bunch of grapes halved
- ⅓ C walnuts chopped
- ½ onion chopped
Homemade Mayonnaise
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- squeeze of lime or lemon
- ¾ C olive oil
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bake chicken at 350° F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cool enough to handle, shred chicken and place in a bowl to cool in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Make up the homemade mayonnaise (see instructions below) and add to the chicken once cooled along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Serve over a bed of your favorite greens and enjoy!
Homemade Mayonnaise
- Combine all of the ingredients in a tall, slender glass, such as a mason jar or drinking cup.
- Using an immersion blender, fully submerge the blade and blend for 5-10 seconds until the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken. Slowly work the blender up and down to incorporate all of the oil. Set aside.
