Those elixirs from fairies, witches and woodland sorceress will accompany your aperitifs throughout the summer… Success guaranteed !
Warning : in case of hallucinations, it’s useless to incriminate the magic, rather refer to the amount drunk.
Fairies’ Bubbles
- 2 liters (8 cups) of srping water
- 10 elderflowers umbels
- 1 organic lemon
- 1 tsp of organic cider vinegar
- 150g (3/4 cup) of brown sugar
- 10 dried grapes
Shake and gently wipe the umbels to remove potential small insects. Remove the green parts (stems), that bring bitterness and only keep the little flowers. (You can use a clean comb). Place the flowers in a large jar, with the water, the sugar, the vinegar, the dried grapes and the lemon cut into slices.
Close the jar in a non-airtight way, with a clean cloth and an elastic ring, and allow to macerate, if possible exposed to the sun, for 3 to 5 days, stirring twice a day. When small bubbles appear and the dried grapes come up to the surface, it’s time to drain the champagne. Use a clean cloth or a coffee filter, and pour the champagne in pre-boiled bottles with screw cap or lemonade bottle type of closure.
Wait about two more weeks before drinking, to allow the carbonisation to operate.
Store the Fairies’ bubbles in a dry, cool place, away from light and it will last for a few months.
Elderflowers wine
- 1 bottle of white wine of 75ml (1/3 cup)
- 75g (1/3 cup) of granulated sugar
- 3 or 4 elderflowers umbels
- 10ml (2 tsp) of alcohol for fruits
In a 1 liter bottle, place the flowers (prepared as for the champagne), the wine, the sugar, and the alcohol for fruits. (Or use a large airtight jar to prepare a larger amount of wine).
Let the wine rest away from light for about ten days, shaking regularly the bottle. Then drain and pour in pre-boiled bottles. Allow to rest about two more weeks before drinking, because the taste will change a little bit and get stronger.
Serve chilled.
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