Baharestan Village Hub of Grape Syrup Production in Iran

In this village there are four types of local grapes from which the syrup is made. Baharestan grapes are organic and of high quality. In the season of syrup production, the village men and women work round-the-clock.

The grapes are brought to the village of Baharestan from the surrounding towns and villages, and the operations are carried out in the traditional workshops of the village before exporting the product to other cities.

The syrup is prepared in a traditional style and has many benefits. The main benefit of grape syrup is that it saves energy, which is recommended in traditional medicine in autumn and winter.

The syrup, like the grape itself, contains some amounts of vitamin A, B, and E, and it meets the body’s needs for these vitamins.

It treats jaundice and freckles, and cleanses liver and bile. Moreover, it soothes rheumatism, and makes breast milk thicker.

 

Directions to Produce Grape Syrup Traditionally

Locals in Baharestan first wash the grapes and then squeeze them. Then they add a special kind of soil to it. The soil contains high amounts of mineral salts and is sold at groceries.

The soil is usually heated in the sun or on a heater, then it is added to the grape juice. If they do not add the soil to it, the grape juice gets sour when boiled.

The juice is kept still overnight. Then, they sift it through special fabrics to completely separate the soil. Now it’s time to boil the juice for two hours.

Traditional producers believe that if the juice floats and boils in large dishes, it is brewed earlier and gets a clear brown colour. However, if the juice is poured in copper dishes, it takes longer to become toughened. As a result, as it boils for a long time, it becomes darker and the final product is thicker.

About one kilogram of syrup is made out of every 5 kg of grapes. A high quality syrup is very thick and has a clear colour.

In addition to Baharestan, the grape syrup made in the city of Malayer in Hamadan province is also famous and of a great quality.

What you see here are photos of the traditional practice in Baherestan village retrieved from Mizan Online: