Dandelions are much more than just a weed, it is a flower that has been made into wine for hundreds of years in Europe. It is said that it has Celtic roots, but has recently made a comeback. Here is a simple step-by-step process on how to make this historic wine.
Ingredients
3 quarts dandelion blossom, without any green part, 1 gallon of water, 2 organic oranges, 1 organic lemon, 3 pounds of sugar, 1 package wine yeast, and 1 pound of raisins.
Method
- Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the dandelions which should be in a separate pot. Cover and let it steep for 3 days
- Zest 1 lemon and 1 orange, and then just regularly peel the rest. Cut the fruit into slices.
- Add the zest and peels to the dandelion mixture and bring to a boil
- Strain the liquid and dissolve the sugar. Let it cool.
- Add the yeast, raisins, and the citrus slices. Cover with a towel and secure with a rubber band.
- Once the mixture has stopped bubbling, about 1-2 weeks, use several layers of cheesecloth or a flour sack and strain it.
- Pour into sterilized bottles and place a deflated balloon on top to make sure fermentation has stopped
- Once the balloons stay deflated for 24 hours, they’re ready to be corked, stored, and enjoyed!
