Raisin Wine

3 lb. raisins • 2 oranges • 2 lemons

2½ lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water

Chop the raisins and pour the boiling water over them. Leave to soak for forty-eight hours, stirring occasion­ally. Then crush well with the hands and strain. Into this liquid squeeze the oranges and lemons and bring the whole liquid just to boiling-point. Pour this over the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

Allow it to cool and then sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. After fourteen days* fermentation, proceed with isinglass and bottling.

Currant Wine

2½ lb. currants • 2 grapefruit • 3 lb. sugar 1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water

Bring the water just to boiling-point and pour in the currants. Cut off the heat at once. Leave the mixture to soak for forty-eight hours, stirring occasionally. Then crush well with the hands and strain. Into this strained liquid squeeze the grapefruit and then bring the liquid just to boiling-point and simmer for three minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. When the brew is cool, sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. Allow it to ferment for fourteen days and proceed with isinglass and bottling.

Prune Wine

3 lb. dried prunes • ½ lb. sultanas

2 grapefruit • 3 lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast

9 pints water

Cut the prunes down one side, stone them, and put them in the boiling water. Cut off the heat at once. Allow the mixture to soak overnight, and then crush well with the hands and strain. Into this strained liquid squeeze the grapefruit. Bring the liquid to boiling-point and simmer for two or three minutes - no longer. Pour the hot liquid over the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Add the chopped sultanas to this liquid, and allow it to cool. Then sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. After fourteen days' fermentation, strain and proceed with isinglass and bottling.

Dried-Apricot Wine

4 lb. dried apricots

8 almonds (which should be shredded)

3½ lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water

Bring the water to boiling-point and pour in the apri­cots. Cut off the heat at once and allow the mixture to soak for forty-eight hours, stirring occasionally. Then crush well with the hands and strain. Into this liquid put the almonds and bring to the boil, boiling gently for two minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Allow the brew to cool and then sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. After fourteen days' fermentation proceed with isinglass and bottling.

MIXED DRIED-FRUIT WINES

Many excellent wines can be made from a mixture of dried fruits, and the method used is the same in each case.

Date Wine

i½1b. packaged dates or those sold by weight

2 oranges • 2 lemons • 2 cloves

3 lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water

Bring the water to boiling-point and put in the finely cut-up dates. Cut off the heat at once. Leave to soak for forty-eight hours and then strain. Into this strained liquid squeeze the lemons and oranges. Bring the liquid to boiling-point and simmer for three minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Allow the brew to cool, sprinkle the yeast on top and stir in. Then add the cloves and put the orange and lemon rinds into the brew, leaving them to float during the fermentation period. After fourteen days' fermentation, strain and proceed with isinglass and bottling.

In the following five recipes the method used is the same as that given above for Date Wine.

Raisin, Prune and Sultana Wine

1 lb. prunes • 1 lb. raisins • ½ lb. sultanas

2½ lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water Proceed as for Date Wine, above.

Currant, Sultana and Prune Wine

1 lb. currants • 1 lb. sultanas • ½ lb. prunes

2 oranges • 2 lemons • 3 lb. sugar

1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water Proceed as for Date Wine, above.

Date, Prune and Fig Wine

1 lb. dates • 1 lb. prunes • 1 lb. figs

2 oranges and 2 grapefruit (or 3 grapefruit and no oranges) 3 lb. sugar • 1 oz. yeast •

9 pints water Proceed as for Date Wine, page 66.

Apricot, Prune and Sultana Wine

11 lb. apricots • 1½ lb. prunes • ½ lb. sultanas

2 oranges • 2 lemons • 3 lb. sugar

1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water Proceed as for Date Wine, page 66.

Fig Wine

Bear in mind that this wine has laxative properties. It is probably the only alcoholic laxative there is.

2½lb. figs • 2 grapefruit (or 3 lemons)

½ oz. bruised ginger • 3 lb. sugar

1 oz. yeast • 9 pints water Proceed as for Date Wine, page 66.

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