Why did my grapes become raisins?!

Before there was ever a bunch of grapes ( خوشه انگور ), there was a plant called a grape vine ( تاک ). And before there was a grape vine, there was a grape seed ( دانه ). It was planted in the ground. After 3 to 4 weeks it pushed through ( آن را از طریق هل داد ) the ground and started to grow.  Three to seven years later, the vine made buds ( جوانه های میوه ). Then, 80 days later, the buds turned into big juicy ( آبدار ) grapes. 

    The people who grow grapes also make raisins. The farmers put REALLY BIG sheets of paper on the ground and put the grapes on top of the paper. After about 3 weeks of drying in the sun ( خشک شدن در آفتاب ), the grapes shrink ( کوچک شدن ) to half their size, turn dark purple in color, and are called raisins!  
    So how does a grape become a raisin? The heat ( حرارت ) from the sun makes the water evaporate ( تبخیر شود ) from the grapes. It also heats up the sugar in the grapes. This makes the sugar caramelize ( کاراملی کردن ).
     So why don't raisins taste ( طعم ) like grapes?! When the sun dries ( خشک شدن ) the grapes it concentrates ( تمرکز کردن ) the sugar and that changes the flavor ( طعم و مزه ). Grapes are 80% water and raisins are only 15% water.

Want to make your own grapes?  Here's how.

1) Put 3-5 grapes in a small bowl and cover the bowl with a piece of paper towel. (To keep dust and bugs off the grapes.)

2) Set the bowl near a window where it will get lots of sun.

3) WAIT!

4) About 2 months later you will have raisins. If you want to eat them, be sure to wash them first! 

😲 Did you know this?  There are almost 8000 different kinds of grapes in the world! (Now you know.)