Lettuce Wine (1)

• 2 lbs lettuce
• 1/2 lb chopped or minced golden raisins
• 2-1/2 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 medium sized orange
• 1 lemon
• 1/8 tsp tannin
• 1 tsp yeast nutrient
• 1 crushed Campden tablet
• water to 1 gallon
• wine yeast

Chop lettuce and place in pot with 1/2 gallon of water. Bring to a boil, cover pot, and deduce heat to low boil for 30 minutes. Strain off lettuce pulp and add sugar to boiling water. Stir until dissolved, then pour into primary over raisins and zest of orange and lemon. Juice the citrus and add to primary. Add yeast nutrient and tannin and stir to dissolve. Add remaining water, cover primary and set aside to cool. When room temperature, add crushed Campden, stir, cover, and set aside for 24 hours. Add activated yeast. Stir twice daily until s.g. drops to 1.030. Strain through nylon straining bag, transfer liquid to secondary and fit airlock. After 30 days, rack, top up and refit airlock. Repeat after 60 days. Wait another 60 days and, if clear, rack into bottles. If wine does not clear on its own, refit airlock and wait another 60 days. Age six months before tasting. Improves with age. [Author’s own recipe]