Surprisingly good wines may be made from dried fruits, especially when a wine yeast is used. These wines usually need a little acid put into them, because they lack this essential part of the flavor. The reader need have no fear that the wine will be flavored of the lemons or oranges or whatever is used - the number used is not enough to flavor the wine. But the acid contained in them is enough to bring out other flavors.

Many people like to add a teaspoonful of tea as well, but I have not yet found the need for this. My liking may be different from others', so readers who think that a little tannin would be an advantage may add a teaspoonful of tea to the gallon just before adding the yeast.

In the following recipes we begin with nine pints of water; this is important, for it makes up for loss during boiling. Dried fruits have no juice whereas fresh fruits have - so don't forget that extra pint.

Raisin Wine

3 lb. raisins • 3 lemons • 2 lb. sugar

9 pints water • all-purpose wine yeast

nutrient

Chop the raisins and pour seven pints of boiling water over them. Leave to soak for twenty-four hours, crush­ing well with the hands during this time.

Then strain through fine muslin and squeeze in the juice of the lemons. Bring just to boiling-point and simmer for two minutes. Pour the hot liquid over half the sugar in the fermenting vessel and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool and then add the yeast starter and nutrient. Ferment for ten days -covered as directed, of course. Then make the rest of the water and sugar into a syrup and add this to the bulk.

Transfer to a jar and fit the fermentation lock or cover as directed and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Currant Wine

4 lb. currants • 2 lemons • 2 oranges

2½ lb. sugar • 9 pints water all-purpose wine yeast • nutrient

Bring seven pints of water just to boiling-point and put in the currants. Cut off the heat at once. Leave the mixture to soak for forty-eight hours, but crush with the hands as much and as often as you like during that time.

Strain through fine muslin, bring the strained juice to boiling-point and simmer for three minutes. Pour the hot liquid over half the sugar in the fermenting vessel and stir until all is dissolved, then squeeze in the juice of the lemons. Allow to cool and add the yeast starter and nutrient.

Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Make a syrup of the rest of the sugar and the other quart of water and add this to the rest. Transfer to a jar and fit the fermentation lock or cover as directed and leave to finish fermenting.

Prune Wine

4 lb. prunes • ½ lb. raisins or sultanas

2 lemons • 2½ lb. sugar • all-purpose wine yeast

nutrient • 9 pints water

Bring seven pints of water to the boil and pour in the prunes. Cut off the heat at once. Leave to soak for forty-eight hours. During this time crush well and as often as you like - the more the better.

Strain through fine muslin and bring the juice to boiling-point. Pour the hot liquid over half the sugar in the fermenting vessel. Stir until all the sugar is dis­solved and then add the chopped raisins and the juice of the lemons.

Allow to cool, then add the yeast starter and nutrient. Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Strain and add the rest of the sugar and water in the form of a syrup.

Transfer to a jar and fit the fermentation lock or cover as directed and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Dried-Apricot Wine

6 lb. dried apricots • 1 orange • 1 lemon

9 pints water • 3½ lb. sugar all-purpose wine yeast • nutrient

Bring seven pints of water to the boil and put in the apricots. Cut off the heat at once. Leave to soak for forty-eight hours and crush well and often during this time.

Crush thoroughly once more and strain through fine muslin. Bring the juice to boiling-point and simmer for five minutes. Pour the hot liquid over half the sugar and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Then squeeze in the juice of the orange and lemon.

When cool, add the yeast starter and nutrient. Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Make the rest of the sugar and water into a syrup and add this to the bulk. Transfer to a jar and fit the fermentation lock or cover as directed and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Date Wine

3 lb. dates (packaged or loose) • 3 oranges 3 lemons • 9 pints water • 2 lb. sugar all-purpose wine yeast • nutrient

Cut up the dates very finely and put them into seven pints of boiling water. Leave them until the water reaches boiling-point again and cut off the heat at once. Leave to soak for twelve hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through fine muslin and bring the juice just to boiling-point. Pour this over half the sugar and stir until all is dissolved. Then squeeze in the juice of the oranges and lemons. Allow to cool and add the yeast starter and nutrient.

Cover as directed and ferment for seven days. Make the rest of the sugar and water into a syrup and add this to the bulk. Transfer to a jar and fit the fermentation lock or cover as directed and leave until all fermentation has ceased.

Prune, Raisin and Sultana Wine

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

2 oranges • 2½ lb. sugar • 9 pints water

all-purpose wine yeast • nutrient

Cut the prunes in half and remove the stones. Put the stoned prunes with the chopped raisins and sultanas into seven pints of water and bring just to boiling-point. Cut off the heat at once. Leave to soak for twelve hours and then crush well with the hands. Strain through fine muslin and bring the juice to boiling-point. Pour this over half the sugar and stir until all is dissolved. Then squeeze in the juice of the oranges. When cool add the yeast starter and nutrient.

Cover as directed and ferment for ten days. Then make a syrup of the rest of the sugar and water and add this to the bulk. Transfer to a jar and fit the fermenta­tion lock or cover as directed and leave until all fer­mentation has ceased.

Currant, Sultana and Prune Wine

2 lb. currants • 1 lb. sultanas • 1 lb. prunes

3 lemons • 2½ lb. sugar • 9 pints water

all-purpose wine yeast • nutrient

This recipe is worked to the directions given for Prune, Raisin and Sultana Wine, above.

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