Petimezi: boiled grape must

1. Grape must in concentrated form

Petimezi is a syrup of boiled grape must. You will find it in the product world of the Peloponnese. ^[I03] It is a way to give grapes a different kitchen roll than fresh fruit, raisin or wine. The starting point is sweet concentrated grape juice; it is not a wine distillate.

Don't confuse petimezi with wine vinegar. A syrup can have a fresh touch, but does not automatically give the same acidity as vinegar. Also dark grape concentrate, balsamico and pomegranate melasse are not necessarily the same product. Read what's really in the bottle.

2. Tasting before replacing

Grape variety, concentration and processing influence the result. Put a drop on a clean spoon and pay attention to the ratio between sweet, fruity, acidic and possibly roasted. The thickness does not independently say how much flavor a product will give to a dish.

You would rather make a dressing on taste than just on volume. First mix oil and an acid ingredient, then add a small amount of petimezi and taste with the leaf or vegetables for which the dressing is intended. A spoon of dressing without food underneath it may seem misleadingly strong.

3. Sweet and hearty use

Try petimezi with roasted eggplant, a lentil salad or a small piece of matured cheese. In a marinade you can carry out the last part of baking without extra syrup and adjust at the table. A sweet layer on a hot grill can burn before the rest of the dish is cooked.

With yoghurt you can compare the same amount of petimezi and honey on two separate spoons. Watch the aftertaste, not just the first sweetness. In pastry a liquid syrup also affects moisture and browning; follow an appropriate recipe there.

4. No simple shelf life

Cooking grape juice yourself is not automatically a reliable method of storing it uncooled. This chapter does not describe a validated preservation process. For daily use, choose a product with clear storage instructions and follow them after opening. Those who serve wine at dinner should also rate petimezi as a sweet sauce: the grape origin does not make it a perfect wine partner.