A Taste of Old World Sweetness

Long before there was a Kiddo to join us, Hubby and I loved to go to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire that was held each October in the hills across the bay from San Francisco. I was too young to attend the very first Pleasure Faire held in Marin’s China Camp State Park in 1967.

By 1970, the faire had outgrown it’s original locations, and had relocated to Novato’s hilly Black Point Area. Back then the faire personnel, all 2,500 of them, attended 30 different classes and workshops in the Elizabethan style before ever coming in contact with fair goers. The experience was unlike any other. Early on in our married life, Hubby and I had the pleasure of wandering about in the Black Forest.

Today the Northern California Renaissance Faire is held in Hollister. The grounds are large, and while it does have the feel of an Elizabethan Village, it’s missing the hills and forests that onced swallowed us whole and magically transported us back in time.

These days as a family we attend the Faire in Hollister each year, all in costume, of course. Kiddo is the one who introduced me to the wonderful sweet drink, Mead. It’s said to be the first fermented concoction man has ever created. One day Kiddo and I hope to brew up a few gallons for ourselves. In the meantime, we like to keep a bottle chilled to enjoy on a long summer’s eve.

Feeling adventurous? I’ve found a recipe for you to try. After all, today is National Mead Day.

Equipment
Sterilizing containers or sink
Cutting Board
Sharp Knives
Sanitizers
Funnel
Carboys (gallon bottles for the Mead)
Syphon
Plastic Tubes for Syphon
Bottles for the finished Mead

Note: When fermenting, you must wash and sanitize everything before usage to ensure no bad bacteria ruin the ferment.

Basic One Gallon Mead
1 Orange
10 Organic Raisins (for tannins)
2 to 3 lbs Local, Raw Honey
1 gallon Distilled Water
1/2 packet Red Star Premier Champagne Yeast

Note: For a dry mead, reduce the honey to 2 pounds. A 3-pound batch will yield a sweeter mead.

Slice orange into quarters, place in the bottom of a 1-gallon glass carboy. Add raisins. Set aside.

In a separate sterile mixing container, mix all of the honey with half of the water. Stir and allow the honey to dissolve naturally. Pour the honey-water into the carboy using a funnel. Pour in the remaining water, leaving a 2-inch space at the neck.

Pinch off half of the package of yeast and add to the mixture. The remaining yeast will store in the refrigerator for another use.

Place a lid on the carboy, give it a good, vigorous shake. Replace the lid with an airlock, store in a cool, dark corner for about 3 to 4 weeks.

After about 3 weeks there will be a thick layer of debris at the bottom of the glass jug. The liquid above should be siphoned off and placed into a clean carboy. This would be a time to taste and adjust sweetness if desired.

Replace the airlock, let mead sit for several more months before bottling. So if you start now, you just might have some ready by Christmas. Or buy it already in a bottle at your local liquor store!

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Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
for in Your ordinances is my hope.