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Public Service Announcements… Things left behind that need to find their homes: nice green glass platter with a beautiful handmade blue dipping bowl; assorted bungee cords (?!); clear plastic platter. If any of these are yours, let me know. There were more photos taken at the party than I can post--I have limited space. If you think there's one you'd like to see that isn't here, let me know and maybe I can find it and email it to you.
Thanks to all of you for coming to my home and filling it with good cheer, laughter and sacred spirit! I am truly blessed.
What a great time we had! I don't remember laughing that much in a long time and I don’t think I've ever seen that many jugs shaking at one time before…
First we relaxed, talked and ate. Al brought her very spoiled dog, Vera.
Marcie and Ed brought incredible Italian bread, made a sauce and melted REAL mozzarella cheese over it… Trixie brought a wonderful pesto and Kiya and Jim brought unbelievable garlic dip. Beth, Stephanie and Ashley brought delicious munchies. Teresa and Chris brought these fantastic empanadas.
I filled the dispenser many times with different meads I'd made and had left from here there and another place. Mickey played with my not spoiled, very well behaved dog, Skye.
Mickey picked out a G film, Star Wars, then a PG, X Men II while the rest of us watched "The Wicker Man."
The smokers took a break outside… then we were ready to make our meads.
First a little history and basics about mead and mead making… then measure out 90 oz of apple juice… add 18 oz of honey…
Shake, shake, shake… Shake, shake, shake… shake that bottle! Shake that bottle!!
Derwin took a lot of these photographs.
We are all individuals. Each of us had our very own way of making sure all the honey was dissolved. Georgia looked at it swirling in the bottle; Al lifted the bottle and looked at the bottom. I watched it while tilting the bottle back and forth, Jim did the upside down technique and Chris prayed… "Oh Great Light Bulb God… make my honey dissolve!"
Then your 12 oz fruit juice concentrate is added… "And do the bottle dance again—come on! Lift those bottles!"
A quarter teaspoon of yeast nutrient… Megan shows us how. I mixed some honey and apple juice in a bowl, warmed it up in the microwave and added the Champaign yeast, after explaining about different yeasts and what types of mead they turned out.
And shake again, this time gently, just to mix it up one last time. What is it about shaking the jugs that kept making everyone laugh? Maybe it had something to do with the quantity of mead consumed beforehand…
"OK everybody… raise your hand if you brought your condom… Good, anyone have any extra? We have a few folks without if you can spare one…" We all had exactly the same brand name.
"I can't get this on! Is this how it goes?"
Later we built a fire and I am fortunate that I can learn from a fire-master, Al. We kicked back and watched "Bell Book and Candle," then followed it with "Practical Magic."
Later still tragedy struck and I barely missed serious physical injury. We were out of crackers for the extraordinary garlic dip Kiya brought so I made a foray into the kitchen. When I opened a cabinet a box of macaroni fell out, hit me in the head and splattered all over counters and floor. It was scary, but I managed to control my beating heart and shaking hands long enough to grab the Ritz and fight my way back to the chair in the living room…
We ate more crackers and garlic.
"There's got to be a morning after…" Empty jars, condom wrappers, funnels, floors and counters sticky with honey… how did honey get way over here on this?? And where did all this macaroni come from...?
But that wasn't the worst of it… My boys were not happy. Usually the fermentation begins immediately and I can see the tiny bubbles rising to the surface and I have to empty the condom many times. Not this time. I put them in a hot bath and they got to work; Al's filled up first, but by the time we left to go downtown they were full and proud! That night all was well…
Al played with my word magnates while I racked the mead I'm sending off to the International Mead Festival contest. It had good clarity and color and made my belly warm, but I was not totally satisfied with the bouquet. Just have to see what the judges think…
Al met with amazing success on her traditional search for Currier and Ives soup bowls. She took the time to show me differences between the real thing and cheap knock offs.
