SC - Re: verjus storage

[allilyn at juno.com]

Cato speaks of storing it in amphorae--(earthen vessels sealed with
pitch)--and tossing them in the fish pond for a month in order to keep
the grape juice good.  That would soak the vessel--like a Romer
cooker--and help keep it from drying out.

I thought that the high acid content would do just fine by itself.  It's
so unripe that there's not really enough sugar to ferment.  Storing in a
stone-lined undercroft or cellar should have kept it cool enough to just
sit there, like pickles in pickling fluids.  Many basements are about
40*, like modern refrigerators.  My pickles sit in frig corners year
'round, and when I was little, the 'keeping closet', off the back porch,
held huge glass pots of sauerkraut until spring warmth came along.

The Menagier speaks of 'diluted' verjus by summer, so if water was added
to thin the juice tor make it go further, it would stop the fermentation.
 It seems to me that fermented verjus would simply be a very sour wine. 
Scully says that verjuice had not fermented 'to any great extent' and was
subject to spoilage.  So, apparently, some verjus was fresh--especially
some of the fakes, i.e., sorrell ground in water.  

Does the fermentation and canning change the taste?  If not, it may be a
good way to preserve since most of us don't run to stone undercrofts in
our homes.

Regards,
Allison,     allilyn at juno.com


________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.