Friday 5 August 2011

Recipe: Swedish mead



As I'm sure is no surprise to some of my more long standing reader friends, I'm into Swedish everything- the culture, the food, the design. Lotte Jansdotter has created  a beautiful book that is strikes a perfect note for me- she focuses on small space living, crafting one's home, and focusing on friends, family, and make the most of what you have. The sketches, the photos, the projects and the recipes are all exactly the kind thing that I love to see; the kind of lifestyle that I try to create in my own life. I can't recommend the book highly enough, really.

I had lots of fun trying out the recipes, but I was particularly taken with the recipe for Swedish Mead, which I had never seen before and required ingredients that I always have in my kitchen. So I got to work!

Swedish Mead
from Lotte Jandotter's Handmade Living, with permission

Ingredients:
  • 17 cups or 4.25L of water
  • 3/4 cup or 185 g packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup or 185 g of granulated sugar, plus 6 teaspoons
  • zest and juices of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 teaspoon of active dry yeast
  • 18 raisins

Directions: In a large stockpot, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice and zest.  Remove from heat and let cool from hot to warm (105-115F). Stir in the yeast until dissolved. Let stand, uncovered and at room temperature, for at least 12 hours.

Put 1 teaspoon of sugar and 3 raisins in each wine bottle(I used pop bottles, personally), strain mead through a sieve and pour into the bottles. Cap tightly, and store in a cool dark place for 1 t 2 days, until the raisins float to the surface.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


Swedish mead
I usually forget these things, but if you happen to notice the super fun fox t-shirt I'm wearing, I got it here

 I've made a few batches of the mead now, and I honestly love the stuff. It's so refreshing in the summer, and it was my first time experimenting with making something carbonated. It does have some alcohol in it, but the content is low (depending on how long you let it sit, I suppose!). This doesn't taste like lemonade- more like a shandy. Served ice cold on a hot summer's day, I can't think of anything better:

Swedish Mead


15 comments:

leeleetea said...

You should totally bring some of this along when we have our croquet picnic!

Ms. Kimba said...

So you're into everything swedish too. Fascinating. I used to live in Sweden. Göteborg actually and if you have not been there then I reccommend it immensly. You would love it. Sill is another thing to try and but its something that is a required taste I guess.

MandeltÄrta is also a good one if you like sweets and kokosbollar..very yummy!

Alyssa said...

That does look good! Can it explode while it's carbonating, though? I know that can happen with gingerale, and that's my worst fear!

Teresa said...

Ooo, thanks for the recipe! I love me some good mead.

Amanda said...

I have got to try this - it looks so refreshing!

Jacey said...

This sounds very tasty! Thanks for sharing. Your faux fox is adorable!

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmm - I'm totally going to try it. I've done lemon syrup in my water before - perfect summer refreshment - but this sounds like another perfect way for lemon refreshment. Thank you for posting!

Anonymous said...

that t-shirt is totes adorbs!

Yarny Days said...

So so yummy. So refreshing. Sidenote--love the shirt!

1funkyknitwit said...

I completely understand how you love "everything" Sweedish, because I too have a tendency to lean that way, or Japanese...ahahaha
Everything they do is with utter style, but without fuss they make it all look so easy thanks for sharing Julie :)

Michele Saunders said...

This looks really refreshing - I love making homemade things like this.

kissu said...

Hi! I just thought to comment that even though in Sweden mead is a summer drink, here in Finland it is nowadays usually specially made only for May Day. So I was a bit amused to see this now :) Anyways, I like mead too. I add some dried hops to the mead for taste and one other common ingredient is fresh (or frozen) blackcurrant leaves. Greetings from Finland!

margaux said...

ooh how did i miss this drink! i love me some summer cocktails! ;-)

A Playful Day said...

I was going to say never trust a skinny cook having been told it myself many times but I see it's liquid ;) Atta girl!

Tina said...

Hi Knitted Bliss! Thanks for the post on mead. I just made it using the same recipe and linked your entry to my blog, www.livinglavidalagom.blogspot.com. I love your photos and thanks for the recipe!