"....................This glorious day to squeeze, save, and shelve
in dandelion wine, fermented, distilled, stocked.
Basement crypt will shelter, protect, and secure
deep joy. Preserve, keep, lock.
.....................Dandelion life. Uncap. Drink down. Live!"
Excerpts from the poem, 'Dandelion Wine' by Ray Bradbury
Ahhh Spring! Everything is bursting into bloom.
The redbud is in bloom.
The ground phlox is in bloom.
The dandelions are in bloom.
If I was still living in the city, that would have sent me straight out with the weed killer, to destroy any evidence of the horrible weed. Heaven forbid we let them go to seed. The neighbours would have been up in arms and we would have been "those people".
There will be no weed killer this year. I look at dandelions with a new attitude. Those happy, sunny, yellow flowers are going to become wine.
I have always wanted to make dandelion wine. I don't know why. I've never tasted it, so I don't know if it's good or not. I suppose it's the romantic, old "fashionedness" of it that appeals to me. It's something you would read about in a book set in an idyllic countryside setting. So, when I was on the phone with my mother yesterday and looked out the window and saw dandelions everywhere, I decided this was the year. This was the year I would make dandelion wine.
Mr B. (my husband) thinks I am crazy. "The skunks and the deer and rabbits and mice and all the other animals, walk around out there and use the field as their bathroom."
"City boy." I said.
"There's bugs everywhere and in the flowers." he said.
"I'll wash the flowers." I said. "You're such a city boy."
He remains dubious. I'm sure he'll appreciate it in the end.
My online research turned up quite a few recipes. I haven't decided which one I am going to ultimately use, but this one looks good and it had the brilliant tip to pick and freeze the blooms until you are ready to make the wine.
Our bulldog puppy, Otis, came dandelion picking with me this morning.
I've started. As you can see, I picked only the heads/blooms and no stems.
When I have enough blooms picked, I'll share which recipe I'm using. Until then if any of you make dandelion wine and have a good recipe and are willing to share it, or have tips for me, I'd be glad to hear them.
In the meantime...
I'm linking this post to an awesome link party:
I was so happy to see that you don't have to live on a farm to participate. Country living and a farm heart is all that is needed. Check it out.
