It is Almost Spring! And Spring Means ... Dandelion Wine

 Darlings!  Hello again!

Spring means a lot of things, but in Fab world, Spring means, mostly Gardening and Lawn Maintenance. And lawn maintenance means ... dandelions.  Oh! The Fab is not one of those people who maintain a perfect lawn.  The casual observer might say that the Fab doesn't do much lawn maintenance at all. That would be true. The Fab is a lover of whatever grows in a lawn. And the lower that whatever grows, the better. But the Fab intended to talk about dandelions.  She loves them.  Early happy yellow discs scattered over her lawn brings the Fab joy.  Joy and that other delight of springtime. Dandelion Wine.   

Dandelion wine is a homemade beverage that captures the essence of spring adventure. It is made from the bright yellow flowers of the common dandelion, which are steeped in water with sugar, lemon, and yeast. The result is a light, refreshing, and slightly fizzy drink.

 Dandelion wine has a long history and tradition, dating back to ancient times. It was popular among European peasants, who used it as a tonic and a medicine. It was also a favorite of American pioneers, who found dandelions growing abundantly (they were brought over by European settlers in the 1600’s.

 Making dandelion wine is a simple and rewarding process, that anyone can do at home. All you need is some basic equipment, such as a large pot, a strainer, a funnel, a glass jug, an airlock, and some bottles. You also need some fresh dandelions, picked from a pesticide-free area. Also, please choose an area free from dog traffic. Does the Fab need to elaborate on that?

 

Dandelion Flower Wine

Ingredients

4 Quarts of Fresh Dandelion Flowers 

4 Quarts Boiling Water

1 Cake of Wine Yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet)  *see notes on yeast below

3 cups of sugar

3 Oranges and 3 lemons, diced

 To make dandelion wine:

- Pick 4 quarts of dandelion flowers. The best time to harvest them is in the morning, when they are fully open and bright.

- Rinse the dandelions and remove any green parts, such as stems and leaves. You only want the yellow flowers. Place in a large heatproof glass or ceramic container with a lid.

- Boil a scooch more than 4 quarts of water in a large pot. (some water will turn into steam)

- Pour the boiling water over the dandelion flowers. Cover lightly with the container lid.

- Let the flowers and water stand lightly covered for 3 days. 

After 3 Days:

- Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or a fine mesh into a sterile glass container and discard the flowers.

- Add the wine yeast, diced oranges and lemons and stir well. 

- Cover the container with clean cheesecloth place the lid on lightly. Store the container a dark and cool place for about 3 weeks to a month, until the fermentation stops.

- Strain the wine into clean bottles and cork them. Store them in a cool and dark place for another few weeks, or longer if you want a more mature flavor. Shorter if you want to see what your Spring juice tastes like.

Dandelion wine mixed with flavored sparkling water is a delightful porch sittin' beverage.  By making dandelion wine, you can transform something ordinary into something extraordinary, and you, like the Fab are all about the extraordinary.

**Notes on yeast.  Yes, you can use regular baking yeast, but baking yeast will stop fermenting at about 8% alcohol content. Wine yeast will remain active to achieve about 15% alcohol. To the Fab more is just ... more.