dandelion wine

ahhhh soon my little golden beauty blossoms will line the green grassy fields with their sweet blooms... and then it will be time for dandelion wine! if dandelion has already come to your neck of the woods, start gathering. and if you're still waiting patiently read ray bradbury's "dandelion wine" until that time comes.

when it is time to gather your blooms from fields near and wide, wait for a day when the sun is high and shining brightly and then round up your picking bowl, assemble your ingredients, hum a tune and ask the dandy for her bright yellow blossoms.

here's the recipe as adapted from susun weed's "healing wise":

2 gallon crock or ceramic or glass bowl
3-5 quarts of blossoms
5 quarts of water
3 pounds of sugar
1 organic orange
1 organic lemon
1 package of live yeast
wholewheat bread toast

immediately after picking place blossoms (sepals okay, but remove stalks)in bowl. boil water and pour over flowers. cover crock or bowl with cheesecloth. stir daily for 3 days. on the fourth day strain blossoms from the liquid. cook liquid with sugar and rind of the orange and lemon for 30-60 minutes. return liquid to crock and add citrus juice. when liquid has cooled to blood temperature, soften yeast and spread on toast. flow toast in crock and cover. let it sit for two days. strain and return liquid to crock for one more day to settle. filter in to clean bottles and cork lightly. don't drink until winter solstice!