Canning Grape Juice

A few years ago my husband and I bought the most amazing muscadine and scuppernong juice at arts and craft festival near Cade's Cove. It was wonderful in flavor and reported to be very beneficial to one's health. I always wanted to try and can some, but never had enough fruit to afford the opportunity until last week when some friends offered to let us come and pick from their arbor full of seven different species of grapes.



It was suffocatingly hot and I wasn't really excited about the outing to start with, even though I was greatly anticipating the enjoyment of the end product.

When we arrived I was amazed at the beauty of the arbor and the fruit heavily cascading from the canopy in every direction, and in a variety of hues. There were grapes of varying tones of green, gold, purple, violet, and some bordering on red. The sizes varied almost as much as the colors.


Some hung in clusters that you could pick by the handful, and others hung in singles.

Of course, we sampled as we picked and the taste and textures were as individual as the appearance of the fruit. An array of birds were none too happy at our carrying off a large bounty from what they obviously viewed as their private stock. Some put up a fuss, but thankfully that's all they did.

We came home with full tummies and high hopes for our own pantry to soon be stocked with purple or golden nectar.

We decided to just mix the varieties and see what happened.

After reading many sites on canning grape juice and realizing that there was several different ways to do it, using specific equipment like a steam juicer for many of them, I opted to try the two methods that didn't require special equipment since I did not have any. I was surprised that all of the methods I found called for sugar. I was hoping to stay away from that. I decided to use the least possible amount of sugar figuring that we could always add it later if it was needed. The first strategy I finally decided to try called for mashing the grapes, cooking them, squeezing them, straining them twice, heating the juice again adding sugar and making sure it melted, pouring the juice into sterilized jars and processing it. It was concentrated and will need to have water and a little more sweetener added to it when we open it. It was pretty labor intensive especially trying to squeeze the juice from the grapes manually using nothing but cheesecloth and a strainer. I'll be on the look out for a food mill before I try this again!

I also read about an old time, quick way of making juice by adding a cup and a third of clean grapes to a sterilized jar along with a third a cup of sugar, then pouring boiling water over the grapes and sugar and processing for twenty-five minutes. This seemed much too easy to be good, but I tried it just to see. We sampled a jar the next morning after cooling it down, then refrigerating it. It seemed a little on the sweet side to me, with a taste that wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked. I suspect that it will have a stronger grape taste when it sits a little longer. Using a pressure canner to infuse the grape flavor would have been a good idea. I may borrow one from a friend if I try this again, and I will definitely use less sugar.

Gifts Abounding

I am so blessed with friends! Some I see quite often and others only occasionally. I have had friends that I've lost touch with over the years, that happens when we move, get busy with life, pursue different interest. Now with all of the technology available finding an old friend isn't as hard as it used to be.

I have been blessed to get reacquainted with a friend from my past over the internet and telephone in the last year. We still haven't seen each other, but that is coming soon.

This friend is very adventuresome and is able to travel and has done so extensively. Our lives have taken very different paths, but we still have much in common.

Well, this precious friend just returned from a trip to Guatemala and Costa Rica. She sent me the most wonderful packet of treasures! Look at these beautiful things! The zippered pouch is covered with lovely embroidery. The bracelet is handmade and the bookmark and worry dolls are precious! The gorgeous aprons are full of beautiful weavings, embroidery, fancy trims, and the sweetest little zippered pockets! And just look at the swatches of lovely woven fabrics! I think I might try and make a purse from those.

From what I understand women from different villages are identified by the aprons they wear. They are so pretty! I know my grand-daughters are going to really go ga-ga over the child's apron! I'm going to have to throw a party just so I can have occasion to wear/show off the red woman's apron. Won't it be perfect at Christmas time?



We also have a friend close by who has a tree loaded with pears, more than they can use, so they graciously offered some to us. Last year I put up tons of pear preserves. They are so good! This year since I still have plenty of the preserves I decided to make pear butter. I've worked on it for two days and just have a few jars to show for it. I love the stuff and so does a lot of my family, but it is a very long cooking process to get it right. Some of it I ended up not cooking long enough and it doesn't have the rich deep brown color with the equally rich taste that it should have. So far I only have 4 1/2 pints that turned out the way I like it. I think I'll just cook it down more as I open the other jars. That should work, I hope. It's not bad like it is, but it's not as rich in flavor as that that has slow cooked for 24 hours or more.

Anyway, I'm feeling wonderfully privileged to be so honored with gifts and most of all with friends.

This last picture is another lacy, little gift left on our porch by a visiter that I'm not sure I would call a friend.

Sweet Cousins and a Wise Old Owl

Angel Eyes is such a girl after my own heart. She loves all of the things I do and is so excited to do anything that involves creating something new. How many 7 year olds would hang with you as long as you want in a fabric store ohhing and awwing right along with you?

She spent the night a few nights back, the first time in a long time, and right off the bat wanted to finish a sewing project we started back in February. I got her machine out, and we went to work at once. I was amazed at how her motor skills have improved and how well she actually did at keeping the fabric lined up. I helped her a little at guiding around the small areas and turning, but she really did a great job.

She couldn't wait to finish the owl softy and give it to her little cousin Pooh Bear. He loved it too. I couldn't get a picture that wasn't fuzzy of he and the owl because one of the two were moving.

This was Angel Eyes second sewing project and she has given away both of the things that she made. Her first project was a pillowcase for one of her little sisters.

She wanted to bake a cake, go swimming, paint, and sew some more, but we ran out of time and swimming was the only other thing on her list that we were able to do.

I helped by appliqueing the eyes, and I did part of the hand sewing where we enclosed the stuffing, but she caught on quick and wanted to finish the rest of the hand sewing herself. I think she did a nice job, and Pooh Bear thinks so too!

Favorite Things Friday

I'm joining the Pyjama lady's linky party today to share one of my favorite things. I decided to share my little vintage elf collection, mainly because I already had pictures on my computer. However, I do love these little guys. They are so whimsical and just make me smile whenever I see them.

Southern Staple

It was brought to my attention lately that pimento and cheese is mostly a southern dish. Oh, how I pity the rest of the world! You really don't know what you are missing! I wanted to include a recipe, but I don't measure anything, and I rarely make it the same way twice. I'm going to try to remember to measure everything next time, but I'm sure you can google it and find a suitable version.

Why?

What is it that makes stuff speak to us? Why do some collect coins and others whimsical paintings? I don't know. It seems everything speaks to me. Kinda scary, huh? I collect so many different things for so many different reasons, and I can't even explain it all, not even to myself. I
have sentimental feelings about some things like little vintage planters. There used to be a little duck that sat in our bathroom on a shelf when I was growing up. Once my mom told me that she had bought it with the first money she earned herself. Well, ever since then little planters connect some way in my head with family, memories, and mine and my mother's childhood. So if you come to my home you will find them scattered throughout my house, if I'm not mistaken in every room. I just took a mental inventory, and yes, they are in every room.

I've been a little under the weather lately, and my husband made a trip to Atlanta with our son. They, along with Luci, visited some thrift, antique, and junk stores. (Hey we all have that addiction, what can I say?) Anyway, he brought me the sweetest sickness present. In one of the shops they went to he found three precious little planters.

I have to confess he called and told me he was bringing me a little gift and I figured he was pulling a prank of some sort, you know, buying something for himself and pretending that it was for me. I asked him on the phone what was it, a fishing rod or a gun? When he came in with three pretty little packages all wrapped up I kinda felt like a heel, but in my defense, you just never know with him. Aren't they cute?

Now here is another of my collections that has grown lately. Luci sent me three of these juicers in a Poor Mindy box. (It was loaded with all sorts of goodies, like vintage paper dolls for the kids and heirloom sewing patterns. Don't you wish you were Poor Mindy?)

I don't know what started me on the juicers. Sometimes something so basic and useful and reminiscent of a simpler time just makes me feel good.

These have been stashed away in various cupboards and cabinets and when I pulled them all out and put them together I was surprised to find that there are nine of them. I wouldn't be surprised if a few more show up later. Things tend to hide around here.

So what about you? What do you collect and why do you collect it?

Sewing and Sweet Dedication

Sunday was a special day. My daughter and her husband had baby Thumper dedicated to the Lord in the morning service. Of course, in their hearts this dedication took place as soon as they knew they were expecting.

I wish I would have taken a picture of the whole family, but with five kids it's hard to get everyone together.

I've been having more fun with Laurie Wisbrun's fabric line Pooches and Pickups. I love the way these turned out. I can't wait to see them on a couple of my precious little grandsons. I'll try to get pictures with them wearing them, but I'm making no promises.

Toddler Camp

While the big kids were at camp the little ones camped out at our house a couple of days. We called it Toddler Camp.

Baby Dino came in sporting his new summer hairdo. He looks so much older.

Sweet Cheeks was so mothering to Dino. He woke up one morning and didn't know where he was. He cried and she said, "Come here, Sweetie. Are you scared? Come here and let me hug you." He did, and then calmed right down. It was so precious!

I was amazed that as soon as she was the oldest child in the house, she stepped right into the role of big sister.

Quick P.J.s

The girls are going to camp and needed new pajamas. We looked around and they saw several they liked, but Angel Eyes flattered me by saying, "Mimi, you could make us some! That would be really cool!" Obviously, she isn't aware that my sewing skills still leave much to be desired, and I'm so glad because it just makes my heart sing when they get so excited about anything I make especially for them.

I needed a simple pattern because I had two pair to make and not a lot of time to make them. I looked through my patterns and decided to use this sundress pattern to make the tops and just make a little pair of bloomers to go with them.

I had some vintage Daisy Kingdom fabric that has been

in my stash for years, and I have no idea where I obtained it.

Sewing for Boys, and a Bit of a Quilt

Sewing for little girls is easy. There is so much to choose from, and no matter what your skill level you can find cute fabrics and patterns that make your efforts really rewarding. However, if you are a semi-beginner, like I would consider myself, it's really hard to try your hand at something for little boys.

When I saw this Laurie Wisbrun line for Robert Kaufman called Pooches & Pickups, I just knew I had to figure something I could pull off for my grandsons. This my first attempt. Isn't my little model adorable?

Such a charming little guy, and so funny and loving.

I've also been working on a quilt in little snatches of time when I should be cleaning house or cooking.
Here is a square from it. I can't wait to get it finished! I'm really not very good at sewing in small increments of time. Once I start on something I want to keep at it until it's finished. (This only goes for sewing, painting, or reading. Sadly things like housework I'm perfectly content to let slide.)

A Hairy Tale

...and it's not even crazy hair day!

What you talkin' about Mimi?