Tried something new this week...

Mom and Dad have beautiful green grapes - and this year it seems like a bumper crop. We have enjoyed eating them but with Barry working, it seems like we can't keep up.

So what to do with some extra green grapes? I thought about grape jelly - but green grapes would make a clear jelly - not really what I would like on my toast.

Green grape jam? Marmalade? None of the recipes I found in my cookbooks or online really appealed to me until I found a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks 'The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving' by Ellie Toop and Margaret Howard.

They had a recipe for Sherried Rosemary Grape Juice Jelly. I had the grapes to make juice with. I had the rosemary (mine is doing well this year). Pectin - check. Sugar - check. Sherry - nope.

Thought about it for a bit - maybe I could substitute the Sherry with something else. Checked out the cupboard and found a bottle (barely touched!) of Vermouth - and so a new recipe was born!

Green Grape Jelly with Vermouth and Rosemary

Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) dry sherry
1 cup (250 mL) white grape juice
1/4 cup (50 mL) strained lemon juice
3 1/2 cups (875 mL) granulated sugar
1 pouch liquid fruit pectin
1 stem fresh rosemary, thyme or other fresh herbs


Directions:

Place sherry, grape juice, lemon juice and sugar in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.

 Bring to a boil over high heat and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in pectin.

Place one or two rosemary sprigs in each jar - depending on how much you like rosemary.

Ladle jelly into jars. Place lids and rings on jars. Process. Store in cool dry place.

Made 9 500ml jars.

Great as a glaze with lamb or pork or serve with a good cheese. Enjoy!