~INGREDIENTS~
1 C finely ground almonds
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 C confectioner's sugar
2 drops almond extract
1/2 C butter, softened
1 egg yolk
Combine almonds, flour, sugar and extract until thoroughly mixed. With the hands, work in the butter and egg yolk until well blended. Chill dough. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of walnuts and shape into crescents. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for about 20 minutes.These can be served as is or lightly dusted with powder sugar.
Dandelion wine is an easy wine to make, and one for which most people have no difficulty at all in finding the raw ingredients.
2 quarts dandelion flowers
1 pound golden raisins
1 gallon water
1 pound white sugar
1 pound dark brown sugar
4oz Clover Honey
2 lemons - peels, pulp & juice
2 oranges - peels, pulp & juice
yeast and nutrient
Pick the dandelions immediately before using them, being sure to remove all green parts (stem & leaves) from the flowers. It's OK to leave the small leaves just below the yellow head. Boil the water and then pour over the flowers in a large bowl. Cover this with seran wrap for two days, stirring each day.
Now bring the flower/water mix to a boil in a large pot. Add in sugar, honey, and just the peels of the fruits. Try not to get any pith into the mix. Boil for an hour. Now add in the juice and pulps of the fruits. Wait until chilled, then add in the yeast and nutrient. Stand for 3 days to begin fermentation.
Once fermentation has begun, put into a jug and add the raisins. Age for a month or so before bottling. Once bottled, age at least until the Winter Solstice. Can be drunk at the following Beltane.
Put three pounds (1 quart) light honey to about
a gallon of water and heat to just below boiling.
Skim off as much as you can of the white froth &
discard. Add a palmful of whole cloves, a handful
of stick cinnamon, and a couple of palmfuls of
whole allspice. Add the zest (thin outer peel)
of one medium-large orange. Remove and discard
the white pith from the orange and crush the
remainder into the pot. Add one cup double-strength
black tea (two teabags to one cup boiling water).
Keep the whole mess at steaming (NOT BOILING)
temperature for two to five hours. Cool to
lukewarm ("baby-bottle" or "blood" temperature)
and strain or rack (siphon) into one or two large
bottles, filling only to the "shoulder" of each
bottle. Add one or two tablespoonfuls of dry
yeast to each bottle and attach airlock. (Mead
is the ONLY fermented product it is not only
safe, but often preferable to use bread yeast
to manufacture). You may want to leave the
bottles "unlocked" for 12-24 hours to give the
yeasty-beasties a headstart. Leave in warm,
but not hot, place for 7-21 days, or until
airlock "breaks." Rack into clean bottles.
You may top up with clean water, if you wish.
This lightens the flavour and assists in the
mellowing process. DON'T use processed city
water! Age in cool spot for AT LEAST six
weeks -- it can safely go for a year. Rack
once more when it looks clear, and be sure
always to leave all the GUCK in the bottom of
the bottle whenever you rack. ENJOY IN
MODERATION -- NOTHING is as bad as a mead
hangover!
Use basic recipe as on left , but reduce cloves
to 5 or 6 large -- count 'em -- and add one
whole nutmeg, split in half, and one or two
one-pint ziploc bagfuls of fresh (or frozen)
rose petals. Wild roses are the best for this,
as they are more fragrant; the red or pink
have more flavour than the white. When you
pick, go for the newly opened or just opening
flowers; take ONLY the petals; pack 'em as
tightly in the bags as you can. They store
well in the freezer until use (but not
overlong). This recipe makes a smaller
volume of product than the basic, but the
bouquet and flavour are unique and delightful
and the colour is GORGEOUS!
