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Raisins, Varieties Of

The muscatels are the most highly esteemed, and are prepared by cutting the stalk half off that bears the bunch when the grapes are fully ripe, removing all leaves that can shade them, and allowing them thus to dry in the sun. These are called "raisins of the sun." The bunches are carefully removed, and packed in boxes in layers, with a paper separating each layer. A more common kind called lexias is prepared by collecting the grapes when ripe, and dipping them into a lye made from the ashes produced by burning the branches of the vine. These are mostly from Valencia, as the preceding kinds are from Malaga--both from Southern Spain. A small black raisin comes from Smyrna, in Asia Minor. It is dry, and generally used for culinary purposes. Another variety from Turkey in Asia, called Sultanas, is put up in drums, and although small, is delicious. What we call currants, from the Grecian Islands, are really raisins, and should be so designated. They are small, seedless grapes, growing on the Islands of Zante, Corfu, and Cephalonia, on the western coast of Greece. The price depends much on the season and the period of the year.