[Sca-cooks] Verjus sold out :-(

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Bonne de Traquair wrote:
>  Persian store near me usually has verjuice, or rather, something
>  labeled sour grape juice which is sold alongside all the vinegars.
>  Look up the vendor name Sataf.  hope I'm spelling that right. Bonne

It's Sadaf. They actually have a website from which i think you can
order stuff. They're located in Southern California.

I wrote a long complex reply to this, but in a program crash, it got
eaten (i just need more memory, err, my *computer* needs more
memory). This will be briefer.

I've never tried the Navarro verjus. I think they're sold out because
using verjus is now fashionable in California and they probably sold
the bulk of their production to gourmet restaurants in Northern
California. Navarro Vineyards is in Mendocino, aka Mondonesia and
Ecotopia, home to retired hippies.

In the past i used both red and white Fusion brand verjus. I thought
they were both good, although some other cooks on this list disliked
them. It's possible we had different "pressings". I actually began
drinking them, mixed with a little water, they were so tasty. Fusion
grows their stuff in Napa, the most famous wine making area of
California.

I also bought two brands of Middle Eastern sour grape juice -
Indon-European brand and Momtaz brand ("momtaz" is Arabic for
"great!" or "wonderful"). Both are from companies in Southern
California. They appear to be the same thing in the same bottles with
different labels. The provenance of the Sour Grape Juice is unclear.
The Indo-European label said "Product of USA" on one side and
"Imported by Indo-European" on the other. My guess is it's from the
US.

The Middle Eastern sour grape juice was *really* sour and very sharp.
Very very different from the verjus i used. It can be used. I did for
the Mists Bardic. But taste carefully - you will most likely need
much less of the sour grape juice than of real verjus.

Anahita