Americana in a jar: Make grape jelly, eat it with basically anything

Washington (dpa) – Last year, we spent four weeks travelling through the Midwest of the United States, with one clear goal in mind: to eat as much truly authentic American food as possible. And we succeeded. One of the most fascinating experiences was exploring the grocery stores — wandering through the aisles, comparing products and trying new things. One highlight was discovering an entire half-aisle dedicated to peanut butter varieties, right next to just as many jars of dark grape jelly. Since it's made only with the grape juice, this classic American product has a noticeably smoother, more gelatinous texture than grape jam, which is traditionally thicker and chunkier since it's made with whole grapes. I had never seen anything like it on shelves in Europe. Since that trip, I’ve been eagerly awaiting grape season. This year, I made my own grape jelly for the first time — and it turned out fantastic. The best part? It pairs perfectly not only with peanut butter and sweet baked goods but also with cheese. In the US, it also often features in recipes with meat. Ingredients for 5 to 6 jars of grape jelly 1,500 g dark blue grapes 200 ml water juice of 1 lemon 500 g 2:1 preserving sugar Making your jelly: Sterilise 5–6 jam jars. Remove the grapes from their stems and wash them thoroughly. Place the grapes in a pot, add 200 ml of water, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the grapes soften. Mash them slightly with a wooden spoon or similar utensil. Line a sieve with a clean cotton cloth and place it over a pot. Pour the grapes into the sieve and press the cloth firmly to extract the juice. Measure 750 ml of the collected grape juice and pour it into a pot. Add the lemon juice. Mix in the preserving sugar and bring to a boil while stirring. Let the mixture boil vigorously for 4 minutes, then pour it into the jars. If you like, do a gel test before filling the jars. To do this, place a small amount of jelly on a cold plate and check if it begins to set. You can of course enjoy your homemade grape jelly on toast, crumpets and with peanut butter. But it works just as well on the side of a cheese platter. In the US it's commonly used to sweeten up meatballs and to make barbecue sauces. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn eik yyzz n1 xlt cwg nhr

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