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The Infernal Blossom
by DIG-IT
Probably no other wild flower has created such a ruckus among gardeners than priest's crown, a.k.a. blowball, a.k.a. dandelion. It is the stuff of war for some homeowners and landscapers, a thing of beauty for others. It's called a weed,¯ the most common definition of that being “a plant out of place". However, doesn't the dandelion grow right where it's supposed to, in it's natural habitat? For those who are sensitive to sulfites and miss having a glass of wine every now and then, this is a great opportunity to make your own sulfite-free wine.
Since 300 BC Egyptians have used it, Arabians got well from it, southern Europeans have eaten it, and for 100 years in America, the flower has been noted as a drug in the National Formulary. Culpeper calls it an “opening and cleansing" herb and says that's why the French and Dutch devour it in spring.
Wine-maker Georgene Mortimer at Westfall Winery in Montague, New Jersey, will run a special dandelion wine-making workshop for all who want to make their own. On Tuesday, May 18, DIG IT! Magazine will join Mortimer for the three-part workshop, which will be published right here on DIG IT!'s website. Come join us, have fun, and learn from a pro.
Ingredients:
3 gallons dandelion flower petals
3 1-gallon zip-lock freezer bags
15 pounds of sugar
5-gallon food grade plastic bucket with a lid
*5-gallon glass carboy or 6-gallon glass Demi-John
*6 1-gallon jugs with a screw top or 30 750-ml bottles
*If taking the class, can be purchased there.
Yields 6 gallons of wine or 30 bottles (size 750 ml) regular sized wine bottles.
Step 1: Prepare the dandelions.
Pick dandelions on a sunny day. (If you are coming to the class, start picking ASAP.) As you pick them, remove everything that's green. “Only the petals should be used," says Georgene Mortimer, winemaker and owner with her husband Loren of Westfall Winery in Montague, New Jersey. “This means that besides removing the stems and leaves, all that green stuff growing around the petals should be removed. If not, the wine will have a harsh vegetal quality. Since this can be tedious and time consuming, and since you will need approximately 3 gallons of petals, I would recommend starting to collect them and freezing them immediately."/div>
This amber wine is made in three steps. On May 18, guests will mix up the brew, which will then ferment for two weeks. Up to 15 pounds of sugar may be needed on that first day. On Tuesday, June 1, guests will transfer the wine to the Demi-John for 6 to 9 months before it's ready to bottle up. The first two sessions are about an hour and a half.
Wine-makers will have a choice of how sweet or dry they want their wine to be. “Dandelions do not have enough natural sugar to make enough alcohol," says Mortimer. “The wine is fermented so it's totally dry. People may choose to sweeten it up later, but that will be months down the line."
The $75 cost includes the 6-gallon glass Demi-John (yours to keep) and 30 750 ml bottles. It also includes: use of professional winemaking equipment, technical oversight, and additives (yeast, corks), use of bottling equipment. Bring your own five-gallon bucket with lid, 15 pounds of sugar and 3 gallons of dandelions.
See Part 2: Dandelion Fruit Wine
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published April 26, 2004
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