My turn

[gaudet]

For Strawberries that is. I picked up 4 flats for $60 today. They will get cheaper later. I will probably buy another flat to do a 5 gallon batch along side the blackberries.

 

[Wade E]

I would freeze all the deep red 1's and see if the pinkish 1's ripen up a little more or is it just the picture and lighting?

 

[Tom]

I would freeze all the deep red 1's and see if the pinkish 1's ripen up a little more or is it just the picture and lighting?

Sounds like a plan.
How many #'s in each flat?

 

[Tom]

Make a f-pac with the next flat

 

[gaudet]

Tepe its about 12#'s per flat or so I was told. I'll probably dump the flat into a bag and weight it or put it on my bathroom scale to see.

Wade we plan to sort and clean them tomorrow. Will probably let the lighter ones go for a couple days to ripen a bit more. Will freeze for at least a week or two before juicing.

 

[Tom]

@ 12# per flat thats 48# you have. You can do all for the primary and the next flat for making a f-pac. for me 30# is OK and 10# for a f-pac.

Are you gonna use your steam juicer? If so I would like to know how long it takes and how much you get. Also Joeswine wants to trade a bottle of his award winning wine for a quart of steam juice. Can you help him?

 

[gaudet]

I was planning on 2 flats to make the juice. Then maybe half a flat to make the f-pack (it will be my first f-pack) I know swmbo wants to put some away for us. I do plan to steam juice these rascals. I'll let you know what the yields are. I'm sure we can work something out for Joeswine......... We'll be in touch

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Looks good Gaudet, I may have to do a strawberry again this year, im running a bit low.

 

[gaudet]

Strawberries are now $12 a flat for #12 pounds. I picked up another flat and SWMBO processed 8 pints for wine and the rest for human consumption

(the dog keeps begging). I am looking forward to juicing the frozen berries in the freezer and starting the 6 gallons I am plotting next week.I will juice at least 24 pounds maybe even 30 for a 6 gallon batch. I read somewhere that 24 pounds yielded 3 gallons of juice ( I think it was Masta's). Do I have any suggestions for the yeast? I have some lalvin varieties and a few red star available.

 

[vcasey]

My vote is for Cote Des Blancs for something light and fruity. Keep in mind I have not made a strawberry wine yet.
VPC

 

[Tom]

I make Strawberry and always use Cote des Blancs
BTW where did you get thos berries at such a good price. Here in NJ Strawberry season is in June.

 

[Wade E]

Cotes Des Blanc for me also!

 

[gaudet]

I make Strawberry and always use Cote des Blancs
BTW where did you get thos berries at such a good price. Here in NJ Strawberry season is in June.

Tepe,

The strawberries started coming in about a month ago. They were $18 a flat at the cheapest and the prices drop after easter. We have a strawberry festival nearby in Ponchatoula (pronounced Ponch-a-too-la).

About two weeks before April we start getting road side vendors selling them. Now the prices are just about rock bottom. Buying them from the local grocery stores runs about $2-$3 a pound. Buying the flats are much better and you get to pick the flat you want. The guy today had a pickup truck with about 50 flats of strawberries. He was half sold out by the time I got there (noon).

Next year, you need to make a road trip down to the Big Easy with Joeswine and get you some flats. Its probably worth the trip, plus you can spend some time in the French Quarter and get some really good seafood. It might be cheaper to have them shipped, but it would be a good time down here. Last weekend was French Quarter festival, its like Jazz Fest, only free to anyone who wants to go. You need only be there and have a room (thats probably optional).

I don't have any Cotes Des Blanc, but I do have lalvin d47 which looked good along with some k1-v1116 and a few others montrachet I think. I hate to make an order for 1 or 2 packets of yeast.....

 

[Tom]

Then use the d-47
I was there in '91 during Madri Gras. I had a convention there all that week. Tough duty huh ?
I went to Felix's on Burbon St and got a large platter of craw dads. Hmm good !

 

[gaudet]

This question goes out to those that use the leftover pulp. Do you have a recipe for jam or preserves? I really hate to waste all that pulp if it can be made into something wonderful.

 

[grapeman]

I really don't think I would want jam made out of depleted strwberry pulp and dead yeast!

 

[gaudet]

I really don't think I would want jam made out of depleted strwberry pulp and dead yeast!

Nor would I Rich. Unless I misunderstood, I thought that some people use the leftover fruit pulp from their steam juicing to make preserves or jams.

Not the leftover pulp bag from fermentation...... Yuk

 

[dragonmaster42]

All this talk of strawberry wine has me wanting to make some!!

I've never tried using the leftover pulpfrom a steamer (don't have one) but you might give this recipe a try using the leftover pulp. You might have to add some juice back to it though. I've used this recipe before and it'ssimple andworks well.


Strawberry Preserves


2 pounds fresh strawberries


4 cups white sugar


1/4 cup lemon juice
<DIV id=ctl00_CenterColumnPlaceHolder_RecipeToolsControl_divMyFolders style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; DISPLAY: none">DIRECTIONS
<DIV ="recipe centercontent2">

1. 
   <LI>In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch headspace, and seal. Process any unsealed jars in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate. </LI>

 

[grapeman]

That's right you used the steamer to make juice first- I forgot.............. danged CRS kicking in again!

 

[gaudet]

I'm hoping Northern Winos sees this as she is the queen of the steam juicer and I'm sure somewhere in her repertoire she has a recipe or can point me in the right direction.

Don't feel bad Rich, of all the things I've lost I miss my mind the most too.......