Grapes

The housekeeper's instructor; or, uni... · William Augustus Henderson · 1791
Source
The housekeeper's instructor; or, universal family cook
Status
success · extracted 11 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (9)
for pickling grapes
for the second pickle
Instructions (21)
  1. Prepare the grapes: select full-grown but not ripe grapes, cut them into small bunches suitable for garnishing.
  2. Layer grapes and vine leaves in a stone jar.
  3. Prepare the brine: measure spring water to cover the grapes.
  4. Add 1 pound of dried, pounded bay salt to the spring water.
  5. Add white salt until the brine can float an egg.
  6. Boil the brine for a quarter of an hour, skimming off only the black scum.
  7. Let the brine cool and settle.
  8. Pour the clear liquor over the grapes in the jar.
  9. Place vine leaves on top, tie down with a linen cloth, and cover with a dish.
  10. Let stand for twenty-four hours.
  11. Remove grapes, lay them on a cloth, cover with another, and let them dry between the cloths.
  12. Prepare the second pickle: boil 2 quarts of vinegar, 1 quart of spring water, and 1 pound of coarse sugar for a short time.
  13. Skim the pickle very clean as it boils.
  14. Let the pickle cool completely.
  15. Dry the jar and place fresh vine leaves at the bottom and between the grape bunches.
  16. Place the dried grapes back into the jar, layering with fresh vine leaves.
  17. Pour the clear, cold pickle over the grapes, ensuring the pickle covers them.
  18. Place a thin piece of board wrapped in flannel on top to keep grapes submerged.
  19. Tie down the jar with a bladder and leather.
  20. When using, remove grapes with a wooden spoon.
  21. Ensure the jar is re-tied tightly to prevent air entry and spoilage.
Original Text
Grapes. Let your grapes be of their full growth, but not ripe. Cut them into small bunches fit for garnishing, and put them into a stone jar, with vine-leaves between every layer of grapes Then take spring water, as much as will cover them, and put into it pound of bay salt, and as much white salt as will make it bear an egg. Dry your bay salt, and pound it before you put it in, and that will make it melt the sooner. Put it into a pot, and boil and skim it well; but take off only the black scum. When it has boiled a quarter of an hour, let it stand to cool and settle; and when it is almost cold pour the clear liquor on the grapes, lay vine-leaves on the top, tie them down close with a linen cloth, and cover them with a dish. Let them stand twenty-four hours, then take them out, lay them on a cloth, cover them over with another, and let them dry between the cloths. Then take two quarts of vinegar, a quart of spring-water, and a pound of coarse sugar. Let it boil a little, skim it very clean as it boils, and let it stand till it is quite cold. Dry your jar with a cloth, put fresh vine leaves at the bottom and between every bunch of grapes, and on the top. Then pour the clear of the pickle on the grapes, fill your jar that the pickle may be above the grapes, and having tied a thin piece of board in a flannel, lay it on the top of the jar, to keep the grapes under the liquor. Tie them down with a bladder and leather, and when you want them for use, take them out with a wooden spoon. Be careful you tie them up again quite close, for, should the air get in, they will be inevitably spoiled.
Notes
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