Raisin Wine

Good raisin wine cannot be made cheaply, and it is somewhat troublesome to make, as it must be run off into a fresh cask after it has stood six months, in order to fine it, - indeed, it is sometimes necessary to repeat the racking several times.

To each gallon of water allow eight pounds of raisins; chop them up - if stoned this may be effected in a mincing machine - put them into a tub with tepid water, and stir thoroughly every day for a month. Then strain the liquor through a sieve, pressing the fruit, and put it into the cask. If the weather is warm the liquor will probably ferment in a few days, but if it does not, put a toast soaked in yeast on a gallon of the liquor made lukewarm, and which, when fermentation has well advanced, add to the whole quantity in the cask. Do not put in the bung for ten days, and having done so, allow the wine to stand for six months, then draw it off into a clean cask, and allow it to stand for two months. At the expiration of this time, if the wine is tolerably clear it may be left for another six months with a bag of isinglass attached to the bung; but if thick must be again racked into a clean cask. This wine will not be fit to drink in less than a year, and will be all the better if allowed to remain in cask for a longer period. Brandy may be added in any quantity desired; but if the wine has been well made it ought not to be necessary.

Smyrna raisins are the best for wine-making, but are generally too expensive when fresh. Grocers in a large way of business, however, are often glad to dispose of old stock, and for wine-making, will put in good sound fruit at a moderate price. Raisin wine may be made of less fruit than the quantity given, but will not be so strong or good, or keep so well.

Orange Wine

Take eighty Seville oranges, pare them as thin as possible, pour one gallon of boiling water on the peel, and let it remain forty-eight hours. Pare off all the white part from the oranges and throw it away, squeeze out all the juice and add it to the peel, wash the remains and the pips of the oranges after squeezing in order to have all the goodness of them. Put all the liquid with the peel and juice with thirty pounds of good loaf sugar and sufficient cold water to make the whole quantity ten gallons, into a brandy or rum cask. Stir up thoroughly every day for a week, then put a toast well dipped in good brewer's yeast into the bung-hole. If fermentation does not commence within three days, put another spoonful of yeast. A hissing sound denotes the commencement of fermentation, in a fortnight after this put the bung in the cask, and let the wine remain for twelve months before bottling.

Cowslip Wine

To ten gallons of water allow thirty-five pounds of lump sugar. Boil the sugar and water for half-an-hour, with a handful of balm, of borage, and sweet briar. When cool, take these out, and put the liquor into a cask, with the juice and thinly pared rind of twenty-four lemons, twelve oranges, and three gallons of fresh, or two gallons of dried cowslip pips. Stir up the wine every day for a week, then put a toast dipped in yeast, and allow it to ferment for a week; add a quart of brandy, stop the cask closely, and allow it to stand for two months, when it should be bottled for use. If rather more sugar is used, and the fermentation allowed to continue for a fortnight, it will be unnecessary to use brandy. This wine is much improved by the addition of balm, borage, and sweetbrier; but if they are used, it can only be made during the summer months. This wine is greatly esteemed by cottagers, and it is a good employment for little children to gather the cowslips, which, if thoroughly dried and properly stored, can be kept for use when required.