Verjuice

Verjuice

Verjuice (from Middle French "vertjus" "green juice") is a very acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes. Sometimes lemon or sorrel juice, herbs or spices are added to change the flavour. In the Middle Ages, it was widely used all over Western Europe as an ingredient in sauces, as a condiment, or to deglaze preparations.

It was once used in many contexts where modern cooks would use either wine or some variety of vinegar, but has become much less widely used as wines and variously flavoured vinegars are more accessible nowadays. Nonetheless, it is still used in a number of French dishes as well as recipes from other European and Middle Eastern cuisines, and can be purchased at some gourmet grocery stores. The South Australian cook Maggie Beer has popularised the use of verjuice in her cooking, and it is being used increasingly in South Australian restaurants.

Modern cooks most often use verjuice in salad dressings as the acidic ingredient, when wine is going to be served with the salad. This is because verjuice provides a comparable sour taste component, yet without "competing with" (altering the taste of) the wine the way vinegar or lemon juice would.

Verjus, called "husroum" (حصروم) in Arabic, is used extensively in Syrian cuisine. In Syria, much of the production of "husroum" is still done over the course of several days by female members of land-owning clans -- even if many of them live in cities. The "husroum" produced during this time will be distributed to various households within the extended family and used throughout the year. The same is true for the production of olive oil and tomato paste.

Verjus, called "ab-ghooreh" in Persian, is used extensively in Northern Iranian and Azerbaijani cuisine.

Other uses of the word "verjus"

The authors of "The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy" write that the grape seeds preserved in salts were also called "verjus" during the Middle Ages.

In the regional French of Ardèche, a cider fermented from crab apple juice is called "verjus".

References

*Larousse Gastronomique|Verjuice
*"The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy", by Odile Redon, Francoise Sabban and Silvano Serventi, University Of Chicago Press, 2000. ISBN 0-226-70684-2 (hardcover); ISBN 0-226-70685-0 (paperback)


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Verjuice — Ver juice , n. [OE. vergeous, F. verjus, that is, the juice of green fruits; verd, vert, green + jus juice. See {Verdant}, and {Juice}.] 1. The sour juice of crab apples, of green or unripe grapes, apples, etc.; also, an acid liquor made from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • verjuice — [vʉr′jo͞os΄] n. [ME vergeous < MFr verjus < vert, green (see VERT1) + jus,JUICE] 1. the sour, acid juice of green or unripe fruit, as of crab apples, grapes, etc. 2. sourness of temper, looks, etc …   English World dictionary

  • verjuice — noun Etymology: Middle English vergeouse, from Anglo French vertjous, from vert green + jous, jus juice Date: 14th century 1. the sour juice of crab apples or of unripe fruit (as grapes or apples); also an acid liquor made from verjuice 2.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • verjuice — /verr joohs /, n. 1. an acid liquor made from the sour juice of crab apples, unripe grapes, etc., formerly much used for culinary and other purposes. 2. sourness, as of temper or expression. adj. Also, verjuiced. 3. of or pertaining to verjuice.… …   Universalium

  • verjuice — ver·juice || vÉœrdÊ’uːs / vɜː n. sour juice from unripe fruit (grapes or apples); sour juice of crab apples; acid liquor made from verjuice (used in the past for cooking instead of vinegar); sourness of temper, sourness of disposition,… …   English contemporary dictionary

  • verjuice — /ˈvɜdʒus/ (say verjoohs) noun 1. an acid liquor made from the sour juice of unripe grapes, crabapples, etc., used for culinary and other purposes. 2. sourness, as of temper or expression. –adjective Also, verjuiced. 3. of or relating to verjuice …  

  • verjuice — noun A very acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes. See Also: verjuiced …   Wiktionary

  • verjuice — [ və:dʒu:s] noun a sour juice obtained especially from crab apples or unripe grapes. Origin ME: from OFr. vertjus, from vert green + jus juice …   English new terms dictionary

  • verjuice — ver·juice …   English syllables

  • verjuice — UK [ˈvɜː(r)dʒuːs] / US [ˈvɜrdʒus] noun [uncountable] a sour juice made from grapes that are not yet ready to eat …   English dictionary

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