[Sca-cooks] Verjus sold out :-(

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

OK, so the computer didn't eat this longer message. Don't really know
if it's much help and some is redundant, but, well, more is more!

----------- Old Message -----------
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.

First, that's Sadaf. They import or manufacture many things. I have
purchased quite a few of their products. AND they have a website.

As for subbing sour grape juice for verjus... I tried it as a verjus
substitute, based on comments on this list. I cannot comment on its
similarity to or difference from Medieval verjus. I can say that it
was *REALLY* sour  - super pucker power. Quite acidic. The verjus i
have purchased has been tart, but drinkable, if mixed with a little
water. I thought it was quite tasty. The Middle Eastern sour grape
juice would not be.

The two bottles i have are:

-- Momtaz - 100% Natural Sour Grape Juice (Raisin Aigre) - 32 fl. oz.
(1 Qt.) 946 mL (Soofer Co. Inc, Los Angeles CA 90058 - Momtaz.com -
323-234-8352) (i paid $2.49) [BTW - Momtaz means "great!"]

-- Indo-European - Sour Grape Juice (something in Arabic) (has a
photo of Neuschwanstein - really :-) - 32 fl. oz. (1 Qt.) 946 ml -
product of USA - imported by Indo-European, Glendale CA 91201 (i paid
$3.99)

Both contain pure unfiltered sour grape juice, according to their
labels. The bottles are identical, although one lid is printed and
the other plain. The juice appears to be identical in color. I bought
them in two different stores and about 1/2 a year apart.

The brand of verjus i bought - there is more than one - was Fusion,
also from California, from Napa, our best known wine growing area.
They make a red verjus and a white verjus. While i recall someone on
the list disliked at least one of them, i thought they tasted fine.
Different personal taste? Using the product in different dishes?
Different "vintages" from the company?

Marilyn Hillvic wrote:
>Edouard,
>>  On the other hand, real verjuice can be purchased
>>  online at a
>>  reasonable price from Navarro wineries in
>>  California.
>>
>>	http://www.navarrowine.com/
>
>I went to their web site and they are sold out of
>*all* verjus. Does anyone have an on-line source that
>is not sold out? {Looks like there are too many
>SCAdians out there.....)

Actually, Navarro makes small quantities, being a small private
vineyard in Mendocino (also referred to as Ecotopia and Mendonesia -
home of retired hippies). And verjus is now fashionable in California
in salad dressings and other dishes when one might use vinegar or
lemon juice. It seems Navarro sold most of their product to
restaurants in Northern California.

As for what to use in salad dressings, after my trip to Andalucia,
i've grown very fond of sherry vinegar - it often replaces the
Balsamic i began using 20 or more years ago.

Anahita
also in Northern California