[Sca-cooks] non-grape period wines

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Oct 14, 2009, at 7:11 PM, Mark S. Harris wrote:

> While I have a few non-grape wine recipes, it appears that most  
> period wines, as today?, were made from grapes. Although some, like  
> pears and apples, get their own name. We tend to say apple cider or  
> perry, not apple wine or pear wine.  I do have recipes for dandelion  
> wine and a few other non-grape wines. Does anyone know of other  
> references to or recipes for non-grape wine?

I expect there are some, but one thing you may find is that not all  
fruits are satisfactorily (you just know this word will end up in the  
monthly statistics post, right?) fermentable without added sugar.  
Unless, of course, one is speaking of fully ripe quinces.

And, since sugar becomes more accessible, less expensive and less  
likely to be viewed as a pharmaceutical (monthly stats again!) the  
later in period we get, this is perhaps a reason to see more of this  
type of thing in later and post-period sources.

And then, of course, there's the gap in exposure for most SCAdians  
between English and non-English, untranslated sources.

Adamantius






"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls,  
when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's  
bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter