oh yeah, the spring wine update!
I know, there still hasn't been a "camp summary". At this rate, I am starting to wonder if there will be one before next year. However, one thing that must be captured is the result of my first foray into spring wine. The ingredients I used went something like this:
1 750-ml bottle port wine (I used Sandeman's Founder's Reserve)
3 parts apple mint
3 parts peppermint
1 part wormwood
1 part sage
1 part thyme
2 large leaves rose geranium
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
All herbs, except for the anise seed, were fresh. A "part" ended up translating to roughly an ounce of fresh plant material. I split the herbs and port between two 1-pint widemouth canning jars and added the anise to only one of the jars, as one of my main taste-testers was sensitive to anise. I put the jars in a dark cupboard at room temperature on June 21; we started tasting it at camp around July 12.
Calling this concoction a successful experiment would be quite an understatement. The herbs took the edge off the port, and it tasted cool, minty, and sweet although there is no sugar in the recipe. Even those who were skeptical (because wormwood is usually, y'know, bitter and nasty tasting!) were favorably impressed. I'll be making it again next year without a doubt.
1 750-ml bottle port wine (I used Sandeman's Founder's Reserve)
3 parts apple mint
3 parts peppermint
1 part wormwood
1 part sage
1 part thyme
2 large leaves rose geranium
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
All herbs, except for the anise seed, were fresh. A "part" ended up translating to roughly an ounce of fresh plant material. I split the herbs and port between two 1-pint widemouth canning jars and added the anise to only one of the jars, as one of my main taste-testers was sensitive to anise. I put the jars in a dark cupboard at room temperature on June 21; we started tasting it at camp around July 12.
Calling this concoction a successful experiment would be quite an understatement. The herbs took the edge off the port, and it tasted cool, minty, and sweet although there is no sugar in the recipe. Even those who were skeptical (because wormwood is usually, y'know, bitter and nasty tasting!) were favorably impressed. I'll be making it again next year without a doubt.