Pumpkins today, also the promised Elderberry Wine recipe

So, today was the pumpkins final day, I hope they enjoyed the sun for the last time.  Now they are put down in the garage for a long sleep until we need them.  I did manage to cut one of them accidentally without a stem, so we will eat it first, but the others should last for months in the cool garage.

The Elderberry Wine recipe is especially for my motherinlaw, Pam!

ELDERBERRY WINE (Gentlemans Wine, or Elderberry Port)
This makes a strong, fragrant, sweet port-like wine which is lovely after dinner.

Step 1: Take 2kgs of elderberries, stalks off (to do this, run a fork down the stems to remove berries), put into a bucket and mash with a potato masher.  Pour over 6 litres of boiling water.  Cover with a cloth (to keep out flies and bugs) and leave to stand for 2 days, stirring each day.

Step 2: Strain through a muslin into a clean bucket.  Slice 1 lemon without peeling, bruise a 2inch piece of root ginger with a hammer (I just grate it), put in a pot and add 1 litre of the elderberry liquid.  Add 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4oz cloves.  Boil for 20 mins.  Put the whole lot in with the bucket of liquid.  Stir in 1.5kg brown sugar and 8oz  raisins (chopped roughly).  Stir in 1t yeast.  Cover with muslin and leave in a warmish room till it stops foaming and fermenting, which takes about 6 days (more or less depending on weather).

Step 3: Strain into a big clean container.  Leave 6 months.  Then into clean bottles.

Ready to drink in 3 years...but I started drinking mine in year 1 and it was lovely!