WOW!

The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler rig they dragged in off
the highway. The insurance company told the towing yard to dispose of the
fruit however they could. The Ag department, health department, ICC, and
all other cognizant authorities have released the fruit for human
consumption.
The owner of the towing service first contacted the local charitable,
nonprofit, and service organizations to take what they could use and the
rest is up for the public.
This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no idea how
to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and processing with no
problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about making concentrates -- any ideas
there? A batch of wine come to mind, although this isn't the usual specie
for that.
I'd invite you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north
end of California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway starts
in 2-1/2 hours.

Thanks,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer and Photographer

Casey Wilson wrote:
> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
> dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler rig they dragged in off
> the highway. The insurance company told the towing yard to dispose of the
> fruit however they could. The Ag department, health department, ICC, and
> all other cognizant authorities have released the fruit for human
> consumption.
> The owner of the towing service first contacted the local charitable,
> nonprofit, and service organizations to take what they could use and the
> rest is up for the public.
> This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no idea how
> to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and processing with no
> problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about making concentrates -- any ideas
> there? A batch of wine come to mind, although this isn't the usual specie
> for that.
> I'd invite you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north
> end of California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway starts
> in 2-1/2 hours.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey Wilson
> Freelance Writer and Photographer
>
>
You can either use a clean, food grade plastic container or a crock. Put
the grapes in a layer at a time and crush them with a clean, sterilized
(bleach will do) two by four or four by four. Filter the juice through
several layers of cheesecloth. You can either can the juice or freeze it
for later use. The grape juice can be used for jelly, to drink, or,
unfiltered to make wine. Any kind of fruit will make a decent wine. I've
made wine from cranberries, wild grapes, whatever will ferment well,
including potatoes.

I don't know about concentrating it though. I would assume one could
boil the juice down into a thicker version of juice and that would
concentrate it pretty good. You would have to be careful about burning
it though.

Good luck.

George Shirley
Safety Consultant and occasional Freelance Writer but not a Photographer

Casey Wilson wrote:
> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
> dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler rig they dragged in off
> the highway. The insurance company told the towing yard to dispose of the
> fruit however they could. The Ag department, health department, ICC, and
> all other cognizant authorities have released the fruit for human
> consumption.
> The owner of the towing service first contacted the local charitable,
> nonprofit, and service organizations to take what they could use and the
> rest is up for the public.
> This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no idea how
> to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and processing with no
> problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about making concentrates -- any ideas
> there? A batch of wine come to mind, although this isn't the usual specie
> for that.
> I'd invite you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north
> end of California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway starts
> in 2-1/2 hours.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey Wilson
> Freelance Writer and Photographer
>
>

I believe you cook the grapes and mash them with a potato masher. Put a
cup of water in the bottom of the kettle and start with low heat so you
don't scorch them. If you buy a box of pectin, it should have basic
instructions for making jelly with fresh fruit.

Sing along now,

"It was just after dark when the truck started down
the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania,
carrying thirty thousand pounds... of bananas.
Yes there were thirty thousand pounds
of bananaaaaas." --Harry Chapin


Bob

Casey Wilson wrote:
> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
> dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler rig they dragged in off
> the highway. The insurance company told the towing yard to dispose of the
> fruit however they could. The Ag department, health department, ICC, and
> all other cognizant authorities have released the fruit for human
> consumption.
> The owner of the towing service first contacted the local charitable,
> nonprofit, and service organizations to take what they could use and the
> rest is up for the public.
> This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no idea how
> to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and processing with no
> problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about making concentrates -- any ideas
> there? A batch of wine come to mind, although this isn't the usual specie
> for that.
> I'd invite you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north
> end of California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway starts
> in 2-1/2 hours.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey Wilson
> Freelance Writer and Photographer
>
>

I believe you cook the grapes and mash them with a potato masher. Put a
cup of water in the bottom of the kettle and start with low heat so you
don't scorch them. If you buy a box of pectin, it should have basic
instructions for making jelly with fresh fruit.

Sing along now,

"It was just after dark when the truck started down
the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania,
carrying thirty thousand pounds... of bananas.
Yes there were thirty thousand pounds
of bananaaaaas." --Harry Chapin


Bob

In article >, "Casey Wilson"
> wrote:

> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless
> grapes to dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler
> rig they dragged in off the highway. The insurance company told
> the towing yard to dispose of the fruit however they could. The
> Ag department, health department, ICC, and all other cognizant
> authorities have released the fruit for human consumption. The
> owner of the towing service first contacted the local
> charitable, nonprofit, and service organizations to take what
> they could use and the rest is up for the public.
> This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no
> idea how to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and
> processing with no problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about
> making concentrates -- any ideas there? A batch of wine come to
> mind, although this isn't the usual specie for that. I'd invite
> you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north end of
> California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway
> starts in 2-1/2 hours.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey Wilson Freelance Writer and Photographer

Crush the grapes with a potato masher.

Don't know what kind of recipe you're planning for the jelly, Casey, but
a year or so back we had a lengthy thread about failed grape jelly and,
after a lot of research on my part, discovered that the unhappy
preserver used something other than Concord grapes (specified in the
pectin leaflet recipes). Good luck with it. I don't have any ideas for
concentrate other than a reduction -by-heat. No idea how successful it
would be.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> An update on 7/4/04.

In article >, "Casey Wilson"
> wrote:

> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless
> grapes to dispose of. The grapes came in a wrecked 18-wheeler
> rig they dragged in off the highway. The insurance company told
> the towing yard to dispose of the fruit however they could. The
> Ag department, health department, ICC, and all other cognizant
> authorities have released the fruit for human consumption. The
> owner of the towing service first contacted the local
> charitable, nonprofit, and service organizations to take what
> they could use and the rest is up for the public.
> This will be my first go at grape jelly. Thing is, I have no
> idea how to crush the grapes. I can handle the filtering and
> processing with no problem. I'm open to suggestions. How about
> making concentrates -- any ideas there? A batch of wine come to
> mind, although this isn't the usual specie for that. I'd invite
> you all to share in the bounty, but this is in the north end of
> California's share of the Mojave Desert and the grape giveaway
> starts in 2-1/2 hours.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Casey Wilson Freelance Writer and Photographer

Crush the grapes with a potato masher.

Don't know what kind of recipe you're planning for the jelly, Casey, but
a year or so back we had a lengthy thread about failed grape jelly and,
after a lot of research on my part, discovered that the unhappy
preserver used something other than Concord grapes (specified in the
pectin leaflet recipes). Good luck with it. I don't have any ideas for
concentrate other than a reduction -by-heat. No idea how successful it
would be.
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> An update on 7/4/04.

George Shirley wrote:

> I don't know about concentrating it though. I would assume one could
> boil the juice down into a thicker version of juice and that would
> concentrate it pretty good. You would have to be careful about burning
> it though.

The Turks do that. I *believe* it's called pekmez (grape molasses) or
something like that. And it always tastes a bit scorched.

Ah yeah. Here it is:

http://www2.egenet.com.tr/mastersj/turkish-food.html

I also saw lots of references to King Midas' funeral feast.

B/

George Shirley wrote:

> I don't know about concentrating it though. I would assume one could
> boil the juice down into a thicker version of juice and that would
> concentrate it pretty good. You would have to be careful about burning
> it though.

The Turks do that. I *believe* it's called pekmez (grape molasses) or
something like that. And it always tastes a bit scorched.

Ah yeah. Here it is:

http://www2.egenet.com.tr/mastersj/turkish-food.html

I also saw lots of references to King Midas' funeral feast.

B/

PS:

I've also done that with apple juice to make "apple honey" which is
applelicious with butter on a toasted sourdough english muffin.

B/

PS:

I've also done that with apple juice to make "apple honey" which is
applelicious with butter on a toasted sourdough english muffin.

B/

"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
> dispose of.

Thanks for the replies. I'll let you know what happens to the 44+
pounds of grapes sitting on my counter(s).
In a post about strawberries, I told about freezing berries and grapes.
That's first; whole, loose, frozen. Pop 'em in the mouth like popsicle
balls. Well, not when they are frozen solid. Stirred in with homemade ice
cream is great. Not so good for smoothies.
Interesting about the weak gel thing from Melba. I generally don't use
pectin, anyway. I'm in favor of cooking to temperature.

"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> WOW!
>
> The local towing service has 30,000 pounds of red seedless grapes to
> dispose of.

Thanks for the replies. I'll let you know what happens to the 44+
pounds of grapes sitting on my counter(s).
In a post about strawberries, I told about freezing berries and grapes.
That's first; whole, loose, frozen. Pop 'em in the mouth like popsicle
balls. Well, not when they are frozen solid. Stirred in with homemade ice
cream is great. Not so good for smoothies.
Interesting about the weak gel thing from Melba. I generally don't use
pectin, anyway. I'm in favor of cooking to temperature.