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Happy May Day! How to Make May Wine

I thought this post from a couple of years ago was worth repeating as it's May 1st, the perfect time to start thinking about making your own batch of May wine!



The poet Gerard wrote when the delicate sweet woodruff is added to a cup of wine it will "make a man merry"
Galium odoratum ,or sweet woodruff is a hardy perennial plant that prefers semi shade and moist, porous loam. Provided these conditions, it will happily grow and spread to make a pretty spring ground cover.
When dried it has a delicate hay-like scent that isn't present when it is fresh.
To make an "exhilarating drink to lift the spirits and create a carefree atmosphere" do the following-

May Wine
  • dry a small handful of sweet woodruff in a warm dry place for 3-4 hours
  • place the dried leaves in a glass pitcher and add the juice of one lemon and half a bottle of good Rhine wine
  • let set in a warm place for 3-4 hours
  • add 4-6 tablespoons of sugar and the other half bottle of Rhine wine
  • Chill
  • add a bottle of sparkling white wine just before serving.
  • Enjoy with the best of friends!
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