GRAPE JUICE

Farmers’ wives in the winelands and parts of the Karoo used some of the grape harvest to make grape juice for home consumption. The sweetness of the juice depended on the variety of grape used.

grapes

250 ml water per 4 litres pulp

white sugar (optional)

Remove the grapes from the stems, discard the pips and process the grapes in a food processor. Measure the pulp into the top of a boible boiler and calculate the quantity of water needed. Add the water and heat over boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain through muslin and add white sugar to taste. Fill clean bottles with the juice, close and turn the lids back a quarter turn. Place on a trivet or an invertet plate in a large saucepan - deep enough to ensure that bottles will be covered with water - with a tight fitting lid. make sure the bottles do not touch each other. Fill the saucepan with hot water until the lids are 5 cm under water. Cover the saucepan, bring the water to the boil and sterilize for 25 minutes at 90 ºC (use a sugar thermometer). Remove the bottles with tongs, seal immediately and leave to cool.

country : South Africa

course : beverage

source : A Taste of Tradition : South African Country Recipes / Magdaleen Van Wyk & Pat Barton