raisin
American Heritage Dictionary:
Top
rai·sin
(rā'zĭn) 
n.
n.
- A sweet grape dried either in the sun or by artificial means.
- A deep brownish purple.
[Middle English, from Old French, grape, from Vulgar Latin *racīmus, from Latin racēmus, bunch of grapes.]
Related Videos:
Top
raisin
Visual Food Lover's Guide:
Top
Raisin
raisins
A dried grape. Table grapes in particular are dried. Grapes suitable for drying have a soft skin, rich flavor and high sugar content. Muscat, Malaga, sultana and Thompson seedless grapes are among the most popular commercial varieties. Dried grapes may or may not contain seeds, depending on the variety. Most are sun-dried in the vineyard. Dried currants are miniature black seedless grapes (Black Corinth or Zante), much sought after for pastries. Golden-colored raisins are made from the Thompson grape variety.
Buying
If the packaging is transparent, check that the raisins are intact and not too dry.
Serving Ideas
Raisins are eaten as is, often as a snack. They are used in cereals, salads, sauces (port sauce), fricassees, poultry stuffing, meat loaves, pâtés, pies, breads, muffins, cookies, brioches and puddings. They are used in stuffed vine leaves, couscous, tajines and pilafs. They are mixed with other dried fruits in the cooking of northern and eastern Europe, as is or rehydrated with water, juice or alcohol.
Storing
At room temperature: 1 year, in a cool and dry place.
Nutritional Information
| water | 15%-19% |
| protein | 3-4 g |
| fat | 0.3-0.5 g |
| carbohydrates | 74-80 g |
| fiber | 3.7-6.8 g |
| calories | 283-302 |
| per 3.5 oz/100 g | |
Excellent source: potassium.
Good source: iron, magnesium and copper.
Contain: calcium, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin C.
Golden yellow raisins are treated with sulfites to prevent oxidation.
Browse other fruits:
Browse other foods: Vegetables | Legumes | Fruits | Nuts and Seeds | Seaweeds | Mushrooms | Cereals and Grains | Fish | Crustaceans | Mollusks | Herbs, Spices and Seasonings | Meats | Variety Meats | Delicatessen Meats | Poultry | Dairy Products | Sugars, Cocoa and Carob | Fats and Oils | Binders and Leavenings | Coffee, Tea and Herbal Teas
Top
Dried seedless grapes of several kinds. Valencia raisins from Spanish grapes; Thompson seedless raisins produced mainly in California from the sultanina grape (the skins are coarser than the sultana). Raisins are also produced in Australia and South Africa. A 20-g portion provides 1.4 g of dietary fibre and supplies 50 kcal (210 kJ). See also
Raisin oil is extracted from the seeds of muscat grapes, which are removed before drying them to yield raisins. The oil is used primarily to coat the raisins to prevent them sticking together, to render them soft and pliable and less subject to insect infestation.
Top
[RAY-zihn] In the most basic terms, a raisin is simply a dried grape. About half of the world's raisin supply comes from California. The most common grapes used for raisins are thompson seedless, zante and muscat. Grapes are either sun-dried or dehydrated mechanically. Both dark and golden seedless raisins can be made from Thompson seedless grapes. The difference is that the dark raisins are sun-dried for several weeks, thereby producing their shriveled appearance and dark color. Golden raisins have been treated with sulphur dioxide (to prevent their color from darkening) and dried with artificial heat, thereby producing a moister, plumper product. The tiny seedless Zante grapes produce dried currants, and muscat grapes (which usually have their seeds removed before processing) create a dark, perfumy and intensely sweet raisin. All raisins can be stored tightly wrapped at room temperature for several months. For prolonged storage (up to a year), they should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Raisins can be eaten out of hand, as well as used in a variety of baked goods and in cooked and raw dishes. They have a high natural sugar content, contain a variety of vitamins and minerals and are especially rich in iron. See also currants.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
Top
raisin
raisin, dried fruit of certain varieties of grapevines bearing grapes with a high content of sugar and solid flesh. Although the fruit is sometimes artificially dehydrated, it is usually sun-dried. The culture of grapes for the production of raisins is limited to regions with a long, hot growing season because the grape must remain on the vine until fully mature in order to attain a high percentage of sugar and because enough time must elapse between harvesting and fall rains to permit sun-drying. Raisins are produced from grapes of the European type (Vitis vinifera). Most seedless raisins, especially in California, are produced from the Sultanina, or Thompson, variety of seedless grape, known in international trade as the Sultana. A different variety, produced in California, is known there as the Sultana. The Muscat, a very ancient variety, is noted for its flavor and meatiness, but it has seeds and is somewhat sticky; it is commonly marketed in clusters for table use. Raisins of sharp flavor and firm texture are often called currants (although unrelated to the true currant) and are preferred for certain bakery products. Grapes have been dried for out-of-season consumption from ancient times and were important in early Mediterranean trade. Spain, Asia Minor, and Greece were long the centers of cultivation, but in the 20th cent. Australia is an important producer and California is the leading producer. Raisin production was introduced in California by Spanish missionaries in the late 18th cent. and began to assume importance after 1875. Today most seed grapes are seeded, and many grapes are bleached and dipped in oil to improve their appearance. About 31/2 lb (1.6 kg) of grapes yield 1 lb (.45 kg) of raisins. Raisins are valuable nutritionally because of their sugar, mineral (especially iron), and vitamin (B and A) content.
Word Tutor:
Top
raisin
IN BRIEF: A grape dried for eating.
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun?
— James Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!
Sign Language Videos:
Top
raisin
sign description: The R-hand makes a small twisting motion on the back of the closed fist.
Random House Word Menu:
Top
categories related to 'raisin'
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Raisin (multiple meanings)
Raisin can refer to:
- Raisin, a dried grape
- Raisin (musical), the musical version of the play A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry
- "Raisins" (South Park), a South Park episode
- Raisin, former name of Raisin City, California
- Raisin Charter Township, Michigan
 |
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Translations:
Top
Raisin
Dansk (Danish)
n. - [bot.] rosin
Français (French)
n. - raisin sec
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) σταφίδα
Português (Portuguese)
n. - uva passa (f)
Русский (Russian)
изюм, изюминка
Español (Spanish)
n. - pasa, pasa de uva
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
葡萄干, 葡萄干色, 深紫红色
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 葡萄乾, 葡萄乾色, 深紫紅色
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 건포도, 짙은 남빛, 흑인
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) زبيب
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Visual Food Lover's Guide
Copyright © 2009 QA International. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Wiley and the Wiley logo are registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. Used here by license.
Read more
Oxford Food & Nutrition Dictionary
A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2005 by A. E. Bender and D. A. Bender. All rights reserved.
Read more
Barron's Food Lover's Companion
Food Lover's Companion. Copyright © 2001 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.
Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
Read more
Word Tutor
Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
Random House Word Menu
© 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier.
Write Brothers Inc.
All rights reserved.
Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Raisin (disambiguation).
Read more
