MULBERRY WINE
The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook by Steve Brill
Here's an unusual delicate-flavored wine that is equally good in main courses, side dishes, and desserts.
MAKES 1 1/8 Gallons (1 Gallon & 2 Cups)
6 cups sugar
1 gallon boiling water
4 cups mulberries of your choice
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons chopped fresh wild spearmint or other mint leaves or 1 tablespoon dried
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon champagne yeast or other wine yeast
1. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a non-metal (plastic or ceramic) food container, add the mulberries, mashing them slightly with a hand blender or potato masher, and add the lemon juice, mint, and cinnamon sticks.
2. When the mixture is lukewarm, stir in the yeast and cover the container with a non-airtight cover, cheesecloth, or towel.
3. Let the mixture ferment for 7 to 10 days at room temperature, stirring twice a day.
4. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth, transfer the liquid to a jug, and seal the jug with an airlock stopper (which lets carbon dioxide bubbles escape but keeps oxygen out).
5. When the bubbling stops and fermentation ends a couple of weeks later, seal the jug with a cork and let the wine age for 10 weeks to 6 months before using it.
6. Siphon the wine to get rid of the sediment if desired.
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