Multi tasking:
It's the hottest day of the year, so Ziggy and I take a walk up the field to pick Elderflower heads to make wine. Tea is in the oven and when we get back the electricity goes off. It's not just us, the whole of Studley is out of power, something to do with the trees growing too big and causing damage to the power lines.
We picked far to many heads as it seems you only actually need about 5-6 heads, enough to fill 3/4 jug with just the
flowers. I used a fork to tease them off the flower stalks. I used the BBQ to boil enough water, and added the sugar and the flower heads.
Recipe:
3/4 pint Elderflowers (about 5-6 flowerhead)
31/2 Ib sugar
1/2 Ib chopped raisins
1 gallon water
1tsp heaped of yeast and nutrients (it was an all in one)
- Sterilise a large bucket into which a put the elderflowers and the chopped raisins and then poured in 8 pints (2 full kettles) of boiling water..
- Because it was then 9.45pm I put the lid on the bucket and left it cool until the morning.
- Before added the yeast just check that the temperature is about 21c to help the yeast along.
It is now left to ferment in the bucket for 5 days.
- Pour everything through the muslin bag to sieve out the raisins and flower heads, then syphon into Demi John and leave until the yeast had consumed all the sugar and made it into ALCOHOL....
It was delicious!