How to make Currant wine
Currants come from the gooseberry family and are juicy berries mostly used in jams and jellies. Not only is it a delicious fruit, but it is also versatile. Currants are good for one’s health, as they are extremely high in vitamin C, but also contain calcium, iron and phosphorus.[1] Since currants have health benefits, in Hungary they are called ‘health fruits’ as they can help … Continue reading How to make Currant wine
How to make a Surfet Water
When searching for the meaning of ‘surfet water’ I came across a Scottish definition which was used up until 1700 meaning ‘gluttonous or excessive amount’. this being classified as a non-alcoholic water is probably also a mistake since water consumption would be unhygienic. A dram appears to be a small measurement of alcohol e.g. whisky. Therefore, ‘alcermis’ may be a type of alcohol. The meaning … Continue reading How to make a Surfet Water
How to make Raspberry Wine
Recreating raspberry wine was probably the most interesting recipe to recreate, not for Tallulah who actually took the task on. Before we talk about recreating this medieval recipe and the explosion, here are a few facts!! Part of the rose family the name Raspberry acquired its name from mid-17th Century word ‘Raspie’ which means ‘a sweet rose-coloured wine’ Fruit wines such a raspberry wine is … Continue reading How to make Raspberry Wine
How to Make Milk Water*
Okay hear us out before skipping this recipe- we agree it’s not the most appealing sounding drink, but in our pursuit to bring history to the modern day we wanted to stay true to the original titles from the cookbook we have been transcribing. According to the recipe, Milk Water was used for fevers and to bring out the pox if someone was suffering from … Continue reading How to Make Milk Water*
Spiced Cordial Water
Spiced cordial water is a uniquely early modern drink, one that combines the need for alcoholic everyday drinks to replace water and the early modern obsession with medicinal herbs and the concoctions made from them. This is a recipe similar to that of Aqua Mirabilis, a medicine that was purported to cure every ill and even bring the dead back to life. Both recipes use … Continue reading Spiced Cordial Water
How to make mead
Context Difficulty Rating: 3/5 Mead is best described as a honey wine, however it is in a category of its own. Traditionally mead would be made by diluting honey with water in either a clay or wooden vessel and through airborne yeast along with the naturally occurring amount which is in the honey would just do the rest. Seems pretty easy aye? So there’s no … Continue reading How to make mead
How to make Quince Wine
When i was young, my family used to live in a big house. This house had a lot of land and at the bottom of our garden was a Quince tree. Every year, my mum would go into the garden and pick the fruit from the tree to make Jam. As an 8 year old kid, the idea of anything that wasn’t dripped in chocolate … Continue reading How to make Quince Wine
How to make Lemmon Water
Please don’t expect this to be water! As mentioned in a previous post, the title of “water” is a little misleading. This is actually a medical reference to “Water of Life”, a distilled beverage that would increase the alcohol content to up to 50%. Following this kind of recipe made the alcohol faster acting, more addictive and, for those with a little less in their … Continue reading How to make Lemmon Water
How To Make Birch Water Wine*
Difficulty rating: 3/5 Birch Water is made from the sap of birch trees- native to the Scottish Highlands and the northern most parts of America. In the 17th-century when this recipe was written it would have been vital to make the wine before the birch water went bad, meaning only those who lived near or where rich enough to afford quick transport were likely to … Continue reading How To Make Birch Water Wine*
How to make Cowslip Wine
Legends and Myths The flowers are believed to have resembled keys, St Peter dropped the keys to Heaven and cowslips grew where they landedCarrying Cowslip flowers for good luckIf a woman washes her face in milk which has been infused with cowslips then her beloved will be drawn closer to her.[2] About the Cowslip Cowslip – Comes from the old English word “Cuslyppe” and can … Continue reading How to make Cowslip Wine
Old Timey Winey 