Jiroud’s last Hand Grape Molasses Press Tells the Secrets of an Endangered Profession

The handmade grape molasses industry is one of the ancient and inherited industries in a number of Syrian cities that enjoys abundant vineyard crops that cover large areas of their lands.

At the end of the grape- picking season in September and the early days of October of each year, people begin making grape molasses by using traditional presses.

In Jiroud located in the  countryside of Damascus , “Nada” press is the only remaining mill that is part of the hand-made tools for making grape molasses .The people of Qalamoun inherited this from their ancestors as an annual tradition they use it to provide a sweet-tasting winter supply that gives warmth.

Khaled Nada opens his press every year at this time to start a traditional family business that is more than two hundred years old, producing about six tons of grape molasses.

 This craft, which he is afraid of it becoming extinct , brings him an income to support his family, especially since these mills are struggling today to maintain their presence in front of industrial machines, as he put it.

Nada believes that the handmade molasses presses are part of the heritage identity of the region and a source of livelihood for their owners, especially that their products are  widely admired by the people. He fears that the traditional molasses presses would have the same fate of the ancient stone presses that were prevalent in the villages of Qalamoun, but are today forgotten heritage monuments.

As for working in the press, which is more than two hundred years old, Nada explained that he gets it ready around these days every year to start producing molasses, which is a work that requires experience and patience.

The first step begins with spreading the raisins on the ground and threshing them frequently, and then collecting them in spherical blocks that are kept for 10 to 15 days to dry completely and become hard, and then the “iron hammer” breaks them down into small slices

Nada went on to say, “the slices are transferred to clay pots, where they are soaked in water for four days, after which they turn into a very sweet juice. Then it is moved to a big copper pot called “Al-Jailah” in preparation for cooking on firewood stoves with permanent stirring with wooden tools until the mixture is completely cooked. After that, the molasses is cooled for two days to be emptied into pottery containers.”

Agricultural engineer Talib Talib explained that grape molasses uses raisins ,which are characterized by high levels of sugars, up to 30%, and have health benefits; it can also be used in the manufacture of some types of sweets and popular dishes.

Amal Farhat

You might also like
Latest news
A solidarity event in Moscow for the Arab peoples in the face of Zionist attacks and crimes President Al-Assad accepts credentials of new Ambassador of South Africa Workshop about situation of the Financing Market for Micro and Small Enterprises kicks off Four martyred in initial toll in Israeli occupation new raid on Beirut city center Syria, Cuba discuss promoting trade ties Syria Receives Two Gold and Two Silver Medals at The Arab Kickboxing Tournament in Egypt   Terrorist Ben-Gvir Storms Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron “China's Views-The Syrian War and Europe” a Book by Chinese Researchers Translated by Safwan Bahloul Yemeni Forces Target an Israeli Enemy Base South of Occupied Palestine with a Ballistic Missile UN Calls for Accountability of Those Responsible for Targeting Humanitarian Workers in Gaza and Leba... Russia Strongly Condemns Israel's Aggression Against Palmyra... It is a Flagrant Violation of Syrian... 25 Martyrs and Dozens Wounded in the Occupation Bombing of Various Areas of the Gaza Strip Three European Countries Announce their Readiness to Arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if They are on The... Organization of Islamic Cooperation: Issuing Arrest Warrants Against Netanyahu and Gallant Contribut... The Feature Film (Temporary Darkness) Participates in The Hague Film Festival in the Netherlands Syrian Doctor Receives Best Clinical Presentation at Diabetic Foot Conference in Los Angeles Iravani: Israel's Repeated Attacks on Syrian Territory Have Reached an Unprecedented Level of Crimin... The State of Palestine Welcomes The Issuance of Two Arrest Warrants Against Netanyahu and Gallant The First ALECSO Early Childhood Forum Concluded its Events in Tunisia Al-Dahhak: Security Council's failure to fulfill its responsibilities encourages Israeli occupation ...