Grape molasses

Grape molasses — pekmez in Turkish, petimezi in Greek, saba or sapa in Italy, dibs 'inab in Arabic — is a thick, dark, glossy sweetener made by boiling down fresh grape must (pressed grape juice) until the water evaporates and what remains is a smooth, deeply sweet syrup the colour of dark honey or molasses. It is not a refined sugar but a whole-fruit reduction: intensely sweet, softly tart and faintly caramelised, carrying the raisiny richness of ripe grapes. One of the defining sweeteners of the Middle East, Anatolia and the Mediterranean, it is whisked with tahini into the beloved tahin-pekmez, drizzled over yoghurt and clotted cream, spooned over bread for breakfast and stirred into cakes, puddings and drinks.