The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-07
GRAPE JUICE AT HOME


 Anybody who is able to can vege- tables can make grape juice, says a new publication of the United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers Bulletin 644. The principle is the same in both cases=tIle sterilization away. In case of grape juice this sterilization prevents the fermenta- ton which in making wine turns the grape sugar into alcohol
 Fermentation is caused by various fungi. yeasts, and bacteria, which adhere to the skins and stems of the grapes. If these are killed, no fer mentation is possible. They can be killed in two ways, but one, the ad- dition of antiseptics, is not possible in the case. of any article intended for human consum ption, because the an tiseptics themselves are injurious. The other method, killing them by. heat, is the one used in the pasteuri- zation of milk. and is equally simple and practicable with grape juice. Practical tests indicate that grape juice is satisfactorily pasteurized without appreciableI change of flavor when it is heated to a. temperature varying from 165 to 176 degrees F. If the temperature is allowed to reach 200 degrees F. the flavor of the Juice is changed for the worse. For home use there are large number of varieties of grapes which will make pleasant and healthful drink. No matter what the kind of grape, however, only clean, sound fruit should be used and it should be well ripened, but not overripe. The grapes should first be crushed and pressed in an ordinary cider-mi1 if the farm possesses one, or by hand if no. mill is available. The subsequent procedure depends upon whether a white or red juice is desired. For fcrI7 fJao a grapes are put in a, cloth sack and twisted until the greater part of the juice is extracted, one person. holding each end of the sack. The juice is then put in some convenient form of l double boiler in which it does not come into direct contact with the fire i but is surrounded by hot water, and | gradually heated to a temperature close to 200 degrees F. As has al- ready been said, however, it should not be allowed to go over this point. If no thermometer is available, it is best to heat the juice until it steams and then to take it from the fire be- J fore it is allowed to boil. It should then be poured into a glass or ena mel1ed vessel and allowed to set I tie for 24 hours, after which it can | be drained from the sediment and run through some form of cloth filter. The strained juice is then put into clean bottles and steri1ized once more l in a water bath. An ordinary wash l boiler with thin board on the bot 1 tom for the filled bottles to rest on 1 is a convenient home device for this I purpose After sterilization the bot l ties should be corked immediately l with new corks, the corks having been previously soaked for about 30 | minutes in hot water.
 II For red juice, the crushed grapes f are first heated to the same tempera- ture as before and then strained through a clean cloth or drip bag without pressure. Thereafter, the Y process is the same as for light col ored juice.
 Grape juice should be stored away Il in bottles or jars that are not toe large, for after these have been open ed the juice is likely to spoil If properly made, however. the juice should keep Indefinitely as long as ii is kept in sealed bottles. In this re- spect it is, of course. like other can ned goods, which should always be
 used as soon as possible after they have been opened.
 Of the various varieties of grapes
 common in this country, the Della
 ware gives a juice of delicate aroma and excellent flavor. The Concord is darker with a spri ghtly taste and vel and Salem grapes also yield an ex ceT1ent product. The California va
 rieties produce a very sweet juice
 but in many cases there is little char acteristic flavor. For home use, how
 ever, the kind of grape that is mos abundant in the vicinity will, O course, be used.
 The Italian King ordered a suspen |