The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: Greenerlife on October 20, 2010, 03:35:33 pm

Title: Grapes
Post by: Greenerlife on October 20, 2010, 03:35:33 pm

On Friday I shall be picking free grapes. (I have been so lucky this year - people keep giving me stuff!)  One question though what on earth to do with them all?  Ideas anyone?  I will have loads if I can think of what to do with them all.

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: suziequeue on October 20, 2010, 04:35:58 pm

I wish I'd asked this question before this afternoon..... my mother in-law gave us loads of grapes last weekend from her vines in Banbury and they'bve been sitting there looking rather woebegone whilst I decide what to do with them.

Eventually I just put them through the juicer this afternoon.

What came out didn't look great..... alot of scum and bits.... but then I did juice them stems and all so I strained it through a pop stock and I'll taste it a bit later.

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: Greenerlife on October 20, 2010, 05:25:08 pm

I am glad you replied!  I was thinking of juicing some, but I thought it might be a bit gunky with the pips and all. let us know how it tastes though?

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: suziequeue on October 20, 2010, 05:33:32 pm

Actually - it tastes nice.

A bit tart... but I haven't done anything to it yet.

I think it would be good to have mixed with fizzy water. It's quite a strong flavour on its own..... but I haven't thrown it away........

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: suziequeue on October 20, 2010, 05:36:38 pm

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/making_grape_juice/

Looks like you should boil them up first......

I think I'll boil mine now and then just keep it in the fridge

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: sheila on October 21, 2010, 01:32:36 pm

Grape jelly/jam. It's lovely.

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: Greenerlife on October 25, 2010, 10:22:12 pm

Delayed picking until today.  Am up to my armpits on grape juice and my hands are pinker than usual!  ;D. the juice is wonderful, although my OH thinks it a little sour - I love it.  going to make jelly tomorrow and process the other bucket of grapes!

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: Greenerlife on October 26, 2010, 09:14:52 pm

Well I am now the proud owner of a bucketful of grape juice thanks for the link Suziequeue!  Also made Grape Jelly, which was a bit of a disaster as I used the juice I made yesterday which probably wasn't boiled enough for the pectin to surface, so I had to boil and boil and boil with no setting point!  Then I added pectin and boiled again and then boiled over!  OMG! What a mess!  Still the upside is that my hob is now cleaner than it has been for some time, and the annoying clicking that the ignition light used to make is no more - hurrah!

Title: Re: Grapes
Post by: sheila on October 27, 2010, 09:21:07 pm

Every cloud has a silver lining! Ha Ha!