HOW RAISINS ARE PREPARED.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 376, 26 April 1879, Page 23

HOW RAISINS ARE PREPARED.

A contemporary has the following:—A strip of land bordering the Mediterranean, somewhat less than 100 miles in length and in width not exceeding five or six, is the raisin producing territory of Spain. Beyond these boundaries the muscatel grape, from which the raisin is principally produced, may grow and thrive abundantly, but the fruit must go to the’ market or the wine press. When the grapes begin to ripen in August the farmer carefully inspects the fruit as it lies on the warm dry soil, and one by one clips the clusters as they reach perfection. In almost all vineyards slants of masonry are prepared, looking like uuglazed hot beds, and covered with fine pebbles, on which the fruit is exposed to dry. But the small proprietor prefers not to carry his grapes so far. It is better, he thinks, to deposit them near at hand, where there is less danger of bruising, and xvliere bees aud wasps are less likely to find them. Day by day the cut branches are examined and turned, till they are sufficiently cured to be borne to the house, usually on the hill top, and there deposited in the empty wine-press, till enough have been collected for the trimmers and packers to begin their work. At this stage great piles of rough-dried raisins are brought forth from the wine-press and heaped upon boards. One by one the bunches are carefully inspected, those of the first quality being trimmed of all irregularities aud imperfect berries, and deposited in pile.s by themselves ; so in turn are treated those of the second quality, while the clippings and inferior fruit are received into baskets at the feet of the trimmers, and reserved for home consumption. A quantity of small wooden trays are now brought forward, just the size of a common raisin-box and about an inch deep. In these papers are neatly laid, so as to lap over and cover the raisins evenly deposited in the trays, which are then subjected to heavy pressure in a rude press. After pressing, the raisins are dropped into the boxes for market.