The Mayflower Cybercafe

A Wee Dram

Sherry

8 pints water
2 lbs raisins
4 or 5 potatoes, diced
1 oz. fresh yeast
4 lbs. sugar

Boil the water, and let it cool. Add all the ingredients. Stir every day for three weeks. Strain and bottle. Leave standing for 10 days. Strain again through filter paper or filter tube. Bottle and let stand for at least a month before sampling.

Dandelion Wine

1 gallon dandelion petals
1 gallon boiling water
4 pounds sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
1 yeast cake
1 slice toast

Pick the petals from the dandelions, throwing away the stems and heads. Put flowers into a crock and pour the boiling water over them. Cover and leave about 10 days, stirring occasionally during that period. Strain off the flowers and put liquid into a large kettle. Add sugar. Peel the orange and lemon very thinly and add peel. Remove the white skin and seeds from the fruit, cut up and add to the liquid. Boil for about 20 minutes and return to the crock. When cool, spread the yeast on a slice of toast and add. Cover and leave for 2 days. Remove to a 5 gallon cask and cork. Let it ferment for at least 2 months, then bottle.

Parsnip Wine

5 pounds parsnips
9 pints water
4 pounds sugar (or less)
1 piece root ginger
2 lemons or oranges
1 yeast cake (spread on a piece of toast)

Clean and cut parsnips. Do not peel. Boil in water for 2 hours with ginger. Add water to keep up to 9 pints. Strain. Let cool a bit. Add sugar, oranges or lemons, cut up. Stir and boil again for 5 minutes. Put all in a crock or jug. When cool, add toast with yeast on top. Cover. Stir each day for 21 days. Strain and bottle.

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