SC - Knowne World Cooks Thingy

[Micaylah]

Elaine Koogler wrote:
> 
> Once, long ago when I lived in Massachusetts, I had a friend who used to clean out
> old houses and sell the contents...mostly antiques, but a lot of other neat stuff
> as well.  One time, he cleaned out a house that had the remains of a wine
> cellar...which he gave to me because he wasn't sure about the various kinds of
> wine (all homemade) that he found.  One bottle was dandelion wine...as I recall,
> the bottle had a date on the label indicating that it was about 20 years old.  It
> was excellent!  I'd love to find out how to make it for myself.  If you still have
> that recipe, I'd love to have it!
> 
> Kiri

Lady Evfemia here.  These recipes are from the Depression Era Recipes
Book

Dandelion Wine
1 qt. dandelion blossoms
1 gal. water
1 lemon, sliced
2 1/2 lb.. sugar
2 Tbs.. good yeast

Put all in a kettle, except yeast, and boil five minutes.  pour into a
jar.  When cold, add yeast.  Keep in a warm place 3 days until it
ferments, then strain and bottle- cork tightly.

Raisin Wine

2 lb.. raisins 
1 lb. sugar
1 sliced lemon
2 gal. boiling water

Seed and chop raisins fine.  Put into a large crock with sugar and
lemon.  Pour boiling water in.  stir daily for 6-8 days, then strain and
bottle and put in a cool place for 10 day s and it will be ready.

Elderberry Blossom Wine
1 gal. boiling water
1 qt. elder blossoms
3 lb.. sugar
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 Tbs.. good yeast

Put blossoms in a large kettle and pour water over them.  Let stand 1
hour. strain, add sugar to liquid, boil a little and skim.  When
lukewarm, add lemon and yeast.  Let stand 24 hours, then strain and put
into bottles or jugs, filling full until all impurities are worked out. 
Be sure to fill up jugs as fast as it works out and the wine will be a
beautiful amber color.  (In making this wine, be careful to keep all
stems out as they make the wine taste rank and give it a dark color.) 
Cork tightly.

Blackberry Wine
1 gal. blackberries
1 qt. boiling water
2 lb. sugar

Bruise berries, add boiling water. Let stand 24 hours, stirring
occasionally.  Strain off the liquor and put into a cask.  Add sugar;
cork tight and let stand till next October, when it will be ready for
use.  It may be bottled.

Cottage Beer
1 peck good wheat bran
3 handful hops
2 qt. molasses
2 Tbs. yeast
10 gal. water
Put wheat bran and hops into water, and boil until bran and hops sink to
the bottom.  Strain through a thin cloth into a cooler.  When it is
about lukewarm, add molasses.  As soon as molasses is dissolved, pour
all into a 10 gallon cask and add yeast.  When fermentation is over
with, cork up the cask and it will be ready in 4-5 days.

Ginger Beer
6 oz. bruised ginger
3 qt. water
5 lb. loaf sugar
1/4 lb honey
a gill of lemon juice
17 qt. water
2 drachms essence of lemon ( about 2 tsp.)
1 whole egg

Put ginger and 3 qt.. water into a very large kettle and boil for 30
minutes.  Add sugar, honey, lemon juice and 17 qt. more water.  Strain
through a cloth and when it is cold add essence of lemon and egg.  Let
stand for 3-4 days before bottling.

Spruce Beer
2 oz hops
1/2 gal water
8 gal. warm water
1 gal molasses
4 oz essence of spruce
1 pt. water
1/2 pt yeast 
molasses 

Put hops and water in a kettle and boil for 30 minutes.  Strain; add 8
gallons warm water, molasses and spruce essence.  Put in a clean cask,
shake all well together and add yeast.  Let stand and work for 6-7 days
, or less if the weather is warm.  When drawn off, add 1 tsp. molasses
to each bottle.

I hope someone will enjoy these recipes.
> 
evfemia at mail.com
Barony of Iron Mountain, Meridies