Grape Juice - one taste of fall

I was very blessed this week to be on the receiving end of pure grace in the form of three boxes of concord grapes. I say grace, because the definition of grace is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. I did not work for these bunches of delight, nor did I do something for which I was rewarded. They came as an unexpected gift, a bestowal of blessings in the form of orbs of pure delight. I'm thankful to the friends who grew and cared for them and so freely shared them with me.

In my spare moments (it's been an unusual week but that is another post) I've been stemming grapes and I found myself singing this hymn all week, both hymnal and Godspell version...All good gifts around us, are sent from heaven above,
              So thank the Lord, Oh thank the Lord for all His love. 

Though I have canned literally hundreds of quarts of grape juice by the "quick and easy" method of putting stemmed grapes, sugar and boiling water in jars to strain out later and dilute to taste, I really prefer the old fashioned "simmer and drip" method I grew up with and helped mom do many times as a child. I love the strong grape flavor of juice produced this way.

It takes several washing to clean the grapes...back and forth into fresh clean water-another of those gifts from above. Once they are clean, it's time to stem, then place in a pan, smooch them around a bit and add some water...lots of directions say to cover in water, but I just add enough that they can swirl around a bit as the grapes add their own liquid. 

Bring to a very gentle simmer and let simmer for 15 minutes or so...the grapes burst and the smell is heavenly! Then I put my big strainer inside of a large pot and line it with my juice dedicated pillow case--it turns all sorts of lovely shades depending on the fruit I'm juicing. I pour my hot smooched grapes into the pillow case. Then I slowly lift it up and all the fruit pulp settles to the bottom of the pillow case and the juice runs out into my pot. Then I transfer the pillowcase full of pulp to the clothes line and let it continue draining into a bowl placed below:

I realized after taking the picture I should have taken it before I emptied this bowl which was about half full of juice. I did the grapes in two batches and ended up with three and a half gallons of juice, which I put in jars in the fridge to keep till I could can it.

 Then tonight I was ready to can it. I put all the juice in my big stock pot and got it good and hot, but not boiling...

...filled my jars...

...and the canner...

 ...and now I have 14 quarts of rich and luscious grape juice to enjoy over the coming year.

I'm a terribly undisciplined gardener, but I delight in canning.

Come on over and we'll open a quart!

p.s. I love this spoon that I bought a few years ago at Cost Less Market in the Latino food prep items section. I laid a regular teaspoon beside it so you could see its size! Just right for stirring in my stock pot!