Well I was going to encourage you all into the countryside to collect hawthorn blossom, or may blossom as it is properly called, to make a floral wine. Unfortunately, this May seems to be under the impression that it is October and blossom collecting is out of the question. Something warming is more in order, so I am going with ginger wine. The Zingiberaceae is a large family with well over a thousand species, though only a few are cultivated, and I have long wondered if there is a native British equivalent to the familiar root. According to the experts, galingale, Cyperus longus, a sedge found in marshy areas in the southern half of England, is the nearest thing that this country has to offer. It is not closely related to ginger, excepting that it is a monocot. I uprooted a couple of plants in Dorset a few years ago, scratched, sniffed and nibbled. It is aromatic but lacks the punchy nature of root ginger which is packed with those lovely, spicy gingerols. As it is the root that is used, there is another problem with this plant in the dread form of the Wildlife and Countryside Act which forbids the uprooting of plants without the landowner's permission.

I am going to stick with good old root ginger. Ginger wine is a rather old-fashioned drink and my grandmother, born in the 1880s, enjoyed a long affection for the stuff. The history of ginger wine predates even her, with an Elizabethan reference to it costing a penny-farthing a bottle and recipes appearing at the beginning of the 18th century. It might cost a bit more to make now, but not much. I made a batch in December so it is not really ready yet, but nevertheless it tastes good, if still a little cloudy. About 5 inches / 12cm root ginger5 litres of water1.4kg sugarZest and juice of 4 lemons500g raisins, chopped or squashed by putting in a carrier bag and pounding, or a 200ml can of white grape juice concentrate 1 sachet of white wine yeastYeast nutrient Peel and finely slice the ginger, place in a plastic fermenting bucket, add the lemon zest and the raisins, then pour over 2½ litres of boiling water. Cover and leave for 24 hours. Add 2.5 litres of boiled and cooled water, the sugar, lemon juice and yeast nutrient and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then the yeast (follow the instructions on the packet).

Cover and leave to ferment for three or four days then transfer into a demijohn using a sterilised sieve and funnel. best wine not expensiveFit a bubble trap and allow to ferment for a couple of months. new wine 2015 half weekRack-off into a fresh demijohn and leave until clear, then bottle.best food and wine resorts Making good wine is a skill. what is the best dry red wineFine wine is an art.best wine shops in london uk ~ Robert Mondavi, "Harvests Of Joy," Autobiographywine in a box handbag

Recently I have received several requests for Ginger Wine recipe. So today I am sharing the recipe that my mom used. It’s very easy to make and the best thing is you don’t need to wait days for the wine to age before drinking as it will be ready in two days time. But of course the longer the wine ages the better it tastes! I like wine to have its natural color for each wine and so I never add caramelized sugar. If you want your ginger wine to be red in color just add caramelized sugar syrup. I hope you enjoy the unique sweet and slightly spicy flavor:).... Boil water, sugar, grated ginger and chopped chilies together. Reduce the flame and simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the gas and keep aside for one day. On the next day drain the syrup in to a big glass bottle and add citric acid. Add cooled caramelized sugar syrup if desired at this stage. Keep aside for one day and drain the wine without shaking the bottle and pour in to small bottles. For Caramelizing the sugar heat 3 tablespoons of sugar until it becomes dark brown on medium flame.

Add 1/2-cup hot water to the browned sugar and boil. Turn off the gas and mix with the wine when it becomes cool. All the utensils & bottle should be clean & dry. If there is water the wine will become sour. Don't fill the bottle to the brink. Always leave 1/4 bottle empty. Did You Enjoy this Recipe? Enter your email ID below to get more such recipes in your inbox How to Make Ginger Wine : Three Fabulous Homemade Recipes Ginger Wine is made by fermenting ground ginger and raisins. It was first produced commercially in 1740 in London by the Finsbury Distilling Company. Ginger's medicinal properties in helping digestion and even as an aphrodisiac, were much promoted in these early days. These claims undoubtedly contributed to the popularity of ginger wine that has continued through to the present day. The best known modern commercial product is the famous Stone's Green Ginger Wine. Ginger Wine is very popular in the winter months and can be enjoyed on its own or over ice.

Probably the most popular mixed drink with ginger wine is the renowned 'Whisky Mac', which is a combination of ginger wine and whisky. It is created by adding 1 oz green ginger wine to 1 1/2 oz Scotch whisky (2 to 3 ratio). The mellow flavour of the ginger wines and its warming aftertaste blends well with the whisky - great for beating the winter blues. Ginger Wine can also be combined with lemonade, soda or bitter lemon. Other popular drinks made from ginger include ginger beer and ginger ale. Root beer is also made from ginger. This article describes how to make your own homemade ginger wine using three great recipes. Yeast nutrient1 sachet white wine yeast500 g (1 lb) raisins, chopped and squashedZest and juice of 4 lemons1.4 kg (2.8 pounds) of sugar5 litres (5 quarts) of waterOne piece of fresh ginger - 5 inches / 12cm longPeel the ginger and slice very finely. Using the plastic fermenting bucket or another large non-metal container, add the ginger, lemon zest and raisins.

Then pour over 2 1/2 litres (2 quarts) of boiling water. Cover and set it aside for 24 hours. Next add an additional 2 1/2 litres (2 1/2 quarts) of boiled and cooled water. Next add the yeast nutrient, lemon juice, sugar, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Next add the yeast by following the instructions provided on the packet. Cover and leave the mixture to ferment for 3 - 4 days then pour into a demijohn through a sterilised funnel and sieve. Fit a bubble trap and leave to ferment for several months. Decant off into a fresh demijohn and set aside until the ginger wine clears and then bottle.Recipe 2250 gm Ginger peeled and chopped1 Orange 1 Lemon200 gm Raisins8 to 10 Dry red chillies 2.5 litres of Water 1 teaspoon of yeast 1 teaspoon of Pectic enzyme (or use the peeled skin from half a papaya as a substitute - to help clear the wine)1 kg of White Sugar Wash and dry the ginger and then chop it finely without peeling. Collect the zest from the orange and lemon and then extract the juice and set aside.

Add the zest, sugar, chopped ginger, raisins and dry red chillies to the water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Continue boiling the mixture mix for about an hour, when the mixture will have been reduced to half its volume. Add the juices from the orange and lemon and set aside to cool. When the liquid has cooled to warm, add the yeast and pectic enzyme (or papaya peel). This enzyme will help to clarify the wine by breading down the pectin carbohydrate in wines which causes a cloudy haze, which won't disappear by standing th wine.Pour the liquid into a large plastic, glass or ceramic container. Cover and lead for about 10 days, stirring once a day. Strain the mixture and store the liquid in the dark for another 20 days. Without disturbing the sediments that has settled transfer the wine to bottles. It may take some time for the wine to mature and the haze to clear. If necessary filter and transfer to fresh clean bottles. After about a month the wine will be ready to drink.Recipe 34 tablespoons dried ginger1 campden tablet1 gallon (3.8 litres) water1 teaspoon yeast nutrientwine yeast3 1/2 pounds (1.6 kg) of sugarjuice of two lemonszest of 2 lemons2 oranges, peels and sliced8 ounces (225 gm) of raisinsEquipmentfermentation bucketstrainerclear wine demijohn (with airlock)Add about half water and ginger to a large pot and simmer for about ten minutes.

Add the lemon zest and sliced oranges and simmer for an extra fifteen minutes. Strain the mixture into the fermentation bucket. Pour the remaining water to the pan and boil the ingredients again for another 15 minutes to extract all their flavor. Strain this liquid into fermentation bucket. Add all the remaining ingredients into the fermentation container except for the wine yeast. Cool the liquid down until it is lukewarm ( this may take 10-12 hours). Add the wine yeast and stir the liquid twice daily for about five days. Then pour the mixture through the strainer into the demijohn. Let the ginger wine ferment for about six weeks. Rack the wine at intervals of two to three months until the ginger wine is at least twelve months old. This process involves siphoning the wine into another separate container to eliminate the sediment that collects. After 12 months wine is then ready to drink. RelatedHealthy DietsThe Lemon Cleanse Diet - Detox With Lemonade Wine RecipesHow to Make Wine from Grape Juice