We go through a lot of juice because my husband makes his own wine. Friends give us their unwanted extra fruit. He uses not only grapes, but apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and elderberries. Even parsnips make good wine.
In order to get plenty of juice, we invested in a steam juicer. It is a large, three-tiered pot; really more like three pots in one. The bottom layer holds water. The middle layer catches the juice. It has an outlet with a rubber tube that has a clamp on it, so you can drain off the juice without having to lift the pot. You put fruit in the top layer, which is perforated to let the juice drip through. Then put the whole thing on a burner at medium to high and bring the water to a boil. Steam will start coming out the top. The heat cooks the fruit gently and extracts a rich, almost concentrated juice. After about an hour, we drain off the juice into hot, sterilized jars, put a hot lid on, and it seals itself as it cools. You could boiling water bath it for ten minutes if you want to be proper.
It would keep for years this way if we didn't use it up so fast. The plain juice is nice for breakfast. You can sweeten it if it's too tart. Sometimes I dilute mine to get fewer carbs or a lighter juice, because it really is thick. This is one of those investments that pays for itself the first year and then keeps on paying again and again. We have a Mehu Maija but there are cheaper versions available.
If anyone asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I would tell them I wanted a steam juicer and some little baby fruit trees. Over their lifetime, they will be worth thousands, and I don't know anybody who will give me thousands of dollars for my birthday. :-)
By Coreen from Rupert, ID
