Currants are dried from a variety of black grape originating in Corinth. They are tiny and very sweet. Currants are one of the few foods where bigger is definitely not better. The traditional currant growers prevent a seed developing by cutting a ring of bark from the stem of each vine once the grapes reach a certain stage of maturity. The sap cannot then rise and this prevents further development. The grape continues to ripen without growing larger. Small currants are used mainly in baking, while medium- sized currants are great for cakes, mincemeat, and the like.