First. Harvesting at home means you may indulge in wine.
(or simple grape juice)
Forget your worries and lose yourself in the simple pleasures
of gardening and plants!
Kids love to be involved.
Heck. Get the whole family involved.
Gently stripping the grapes from the vine takes time.
Perhaps your neighbors would help too... in exchange for a jarful.
Supervise the use of things that cut the fruit off the vine.
No running with scissors.
Why make the typical grape jelly/jam?
I knew spicing things up would be the answer.
I drool imagining a grape spread coupled with baked brie
or dipping crusty bread in it....tea and toast time
drizzled over grilled vegetables or salad....
TBSP into a gin and tonic!
How about those cocktail meatballs?
Equal parts BBQ sauce and this 'Spiced Grape Spread'!
Once picked and pulled off the stem/vine
Wash the grapes well with fresh water
Drain and begin the recipe (below)
Spiced Grape Spread
NOTE:
You will be standing and stirring a lot
Bring your glass of wine
9 cups of washed grapes
1 cup of water OR 1 cup of red wine
5 cups of sugar
2 drops each of
Place grapes and water or wine in a large pot
Bring to a boil
Constantly stir
After 15 min.
Add the sugar
Keep boiling
stir stir stir
for another 15 min
Take off the heat
stir for 5 min
As it begins to cool down
Strain through your cheesecloth
into another clean catch pot or bowl
Then
Add essential oils
stir for 5 min
Ladle or funnel into sterile jars
Place the lids on tight
Let them stand to cool
Once cool store in freezer
Keep the jars you want to eat in the fridge
Keep in mind...
this will be runnier than a pectin jam or firm jelly...
It's a spread.
YUM
Wash, rinse, repeat, boil and air dry to sterilize jars
Strain through cheesecloth or thin cotton
We ended up with 5 wonderful jars!
Patti Friday: Artist | Illustrator | Author | Wellness Community Member | Reporting from inside 'The Art Dept.' at the international 'Embassy of Ideas'
