We used some wild botanicals to produce our own vermouth style fortified wine.
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Elderflower, Dandelion, Burdock, Rose Petal, Mugwort, Cep, Beech, May Blossom
Ingredients
Peel of 1 lemon
Peel of 1/4 Grapefruit
2g dried Mugwort
2g dried Elderflowers
2g dried Rose petals
1 tsp dried Chamomile
1 tsp dried Lavender
750ml dry white wine
60ml Stock syrup
250ml Brandy
Method
Wild Vermouth. Put lemon peel strips, 0.25 grapefruit peel, 2g dried mugwort, 2g dried elderflowers, 2g dried hyssop, 0.75g dried rose petals, 1 tsp dried chamomile and 1 tsp dried lavender in a pan with 250ml white wine. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer 5 mins. Cool, strain through muslin squeezing well. Put strained liquid in clean pan with rest of 750ml bottle of wine. Warm and slowly add 60ml stock syrup until combined. Remove from heat, stir in 250ml brandy. Cool, bottle, store in fridge. Ready in 24 hours. Wild Vodkatini: chill martini glass. Stir 4 parts vodka and 1 part chilled vermouth over ice for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled glass. Twist lemon peel over drink and drop in.