KOCHI: For Trevor D'Cruz and his wife Mavis, an elderly Anglo-Indian couple living at Fort Kochi, Christmas is incomplete without home-brewed wine and cake. The heralding of the season is signified when guests start to get welcomed with a glass of wine at their home. This is of course true of several Christian families, for whom wine is an integral part of the community's gourmet and tradition. During Christmas, the drink assumes a greater importance, which is why several households insist on home-made wine. We set out to discover the magic of this sour-bitter-sweet appetizer, so painstakingly and lovingly made in homes, and the D'Cruz family were at our aid."There are different kinds of wines made, including ones from potatoes, beetroot, carrots, plantains and rice. But for Christmas, wines are made only out of grapes or raisins," says Trevor.The secret for 'sweeter' wine lies in Bangalore grapes, he says. "They are not too sour and are best for home-made wines. During the season, it costs around `40 a kilo and is easily available," he says, adding that the alcohol content in the wines brewed at home is nil. It is the amount of sugar used that ultimately determines the wine's taste. "One can add sugar depending on his or her preference. Some love it sweet while other like it sour. For the wine to be more sweet, add 1 kg of sugar for one kg grapes and water. The quantity of sugar used can vary from 500 gm to 1 kg," says Mavis who has never celebrated Christmas without home-brewed wine.The preparations begin right from October, she says. "We make almost 10 litres every season. We offer home-baked cake and wine to our guests till January second week. Some of the unused wine we keep for the next year. As wine ages, the more tastier it gets. Usually 24 days are more than enough to brew it. But, if kept untouched for six months or more, the fermenting process increases its flavour and taste," Mavis says but warns not to open the lid too often or else the wine could get too sour. Trevor D'Cruz also sells wines to those who cannot make it at home. "We charge `120 a bottle," he says. Crunchies that are served along with the wine are kulkul (made of maida), matrimony and coconut cookies, all home-made. featureskochi@ newindianexpress.com
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