Grape molasses
February 10, 2012 • Category: Main Dish
I wish I could tell you to get this at your local supermarket! It just is not available commercially, even in Lebanon; my friend Yola got it in the village of Kfarheem (Chouf) and the sale of these jars of grape molasses are strictly for the benefit of the sheikh and his community.
This is the best grape molasses, it has this golden color and a texture similar to thick cream and a sweet taste.
Middle-Eastern, Greek, Turkish markets in the US and Canada sell an industrial version of grape molasses; this one is made in the village press with the best grapes of the season and tastes sweet, of this natural sweetness extracted from the essence of the grape; a magic food filled with every nutrient imaginable.
Delicious mixed with tahini and slathered on bread.
Comments
28 Comments • Comments Feed
Rosa says:
It looks divine…
Cheers,
Rosa
On February 10, 2012 at 6:16 am
Belinda @zomppa says:
The many uses I can think of with this!
On February 10, 2012 at 6:17 am
the indolent cook says:
Oh, why do you tease me so! I would dearly love to taste this.
On February 10, 2012 at 6:28 am
deana says:
You have mentioned this before… it looks amazing. I would have thought it was dark like a vin cotto… the color is gorgeous!!! I wonder how one would make it???
On February 10, 2012 at 7:06 am
janet @ taste space says:
I have an odd collection of grape molasses, carob molasses, pomegranate molasses and another one that escapes me at the moment.. I just never have a clue how to use them. I have heard carob molasses is great for dressings, though.. Do you know of any recipe, by chance?
On February 10, 2012 at 7:21 am
Joumana says:
@Janet: I have at least one hundred recipes in this blog that use all of these molasses. Tell me what you would like to make, meat pies, kibbeh, a vegan dish?
On February 10, 2012 at 9:03 am
Dhoolly says:
Hi! I was wondering, in my Beqaa village we’ve been using grape molasses since ever, but the one I know does not look like this at all. Had you already mixed it with Tahini when you took your picture?
Thanks,
T
On February 10, 2012 at 8:39 am
Joumana says:
@Dhoolly: No, I did not mix it with tahini; the grape molasses in the photo is the original one, I have had it this way made from our grapes in the Chouf.
On February 10, 2012 at 9:02 am
Claire says:
I absolutely loved grape molasses when I first tasted it in Lebanon! But can’t find it anywhere here (even at Middle Eastern markets, although maybe I haven’t been looking hard enough). Any idea how difficult it is to make?
On February 10, 2012 at 8:41 am
Claudia says:
It’s… like… not having the ending to a story! It looks heavenly… and not available. Sigh.
On February 10, 2012 at 4:20 pm
vianney says:
I spotted this on my google reader and headed over, so sorry there in no recipe. I bet it taste amazing!
On February 10, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Dana says:
There is a halal market in my city that sometimes (see: sometimes) carries grape molasses. Worth every penny.
On February 10, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Murasaki Shikibu says:
And I wish I had a spoonful of that stuff right here! It looks like ambrosia!
On February 11, 2012 at 2:11 am
Nadji says:
On dirait du miel. je n’ai jamais vu de mélasse de cette couleur et sous cet aspect.
C’est beau.
A très bientôt
On February 11, 2012 at 2:30 am
janet @ taste space says:
Joumana, a vegan dish you recommend would be great. Do you happen to have a carob molasses salad dressing recipe, too?
On February 11, 2012 at 10:44 am
domi says:
Cela a l’air délicieux même si je ne connais pas ce produit….
On February 11, 2012 at 2:51 pm
hyma says:
thanks for sharing facts about such delectable food items!
On February 12, 2012 at 10:07 am
s says:
J- i am visiting you in Lebanon 🙂 x s
On February 13, 2012 at 8:42 am
Magic of Spice says:
This looks incredible, would love to try it 🙂
On February 14, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Caffettiera says:
I am going to dream of this.
On February 15, 2012 at 11:16 am
Kathy says:
My grandmother used to make molasses mixed with tahini for all of her grandchildren to have as a snack! I have actually made this for my grandchildren…but not with that special grape molasses…yum!
On February 16, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Bahaa Kadamani says:
I have a grapes molasses press in my village Rashaya Al Wadi – Lebanon, where natural grape molasses production is a passion that we inherited from our grand parents. Rashaya is still known for its fully natural-traditional rural food production. this type of molasses in the picture is called crystalized molasses. condensed from the pure juice of the best grapes harvested from the hills of Rashaya, grapes molasses or (Debess Enad) is a big natural nutrition value with the magic yet unique sweet taste.
On November 30, 2012 at 8:09 am
Mirna says:
@bahaa kadamani
could you send me please z number in Rachaya. I have an organic shop in Lebanon and would like to display this item & others if available ….
On November 8, 2014 at 6:27 am
Joumana says:
@Mirna: I do not have it. I know a bakery in the Chouf that makes it (delicious) whipped. It is called Crown Bakery and is in the town before Deir el=Qamar, where there is also grotto to visit Kfarheem.
On November 8, 2014 at 8:19 pm
Nadica says:
I am from Macedonia, here grape molasses is made in every house, we produce it ourselves. In order to make one liter of grape molasses, 23 kg of grapes are needed. Here we use it to cure Hepatitis C, because it cleans the liver from toxins. It is delicious, sweet, and with a unique smell. Seeing this picture made me eat some 🙂
On January 21, 2015 at 10:37 pm
Joumana says:
@Nadica: I was so happy to read your comment. I love this food and wish more people knew about it and how delicious it tastes, especially when it is homemade!
On January 22, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Ritchie says:
Thanks for sharing this. I have an apple orchard here in France and have been making different grades of molasses to create sorbet and pâtisseries. We have also been experimenting with pomegranate molasses from Terroirs du Liban. I believe they use both sweet and acid pomegranates…amazing quality.
Both have unique flavours…I also wander what hard cider might taste like in molasses form. How did grapes molasses taste compared to pomegranate?
Regards
Ritchie
On June 7, 2021 at 5:57 pm
Joumana Accad says:
Hello Ritchie,
It may interest you to know that apple molasses is made (artisan fashion) in the Chouf where I reside (or have for the past ten years until the pandemic), and I tried it with various pastries etc. I will try to find the link and post and send it over.
As far as pomegranate molasses, it is made only with sour pomegranates, as the sweet ones are consumed fresh. It is well-known that some manufacturers add sugar to their bottled molasses.
Otherwise, the grape molasses is also a specialty in the Chouf (in Rashaya) where it is made in a “whipped” format, and tastes delicious, kind of like a tangy caramel. Grape molasses is used in cooking and baking too, especially in the Chouf and also in parts of Syria. I tested a recipe for grape molasses used for a syrian kibbeh made for fasting days out of chickpeas and spinach. Grape molasses is really good with custards or ice-creams or for baking cookies, whereas pomegranate molasses is only used for savory dishes and tastes great with eggplant dishes.
On June 8, 2021 at 8:20 pm