Cowslip Wine

Cowslip wine was a highly prized homemade beverage in 18th-century Britain. This particular recipe comes from Elizabeth Smith, an active homemaker and likely a matriarch, writing between 1749 and 1800. At the time, country houses commonly produced their own wines from wildflowers and garden fruits, both as a show of hospitality and as a means to preserve the bounty of spring. Cowslip, found blooming across meadows in early summer, was favored for its delicate fragrance and subtle flavor, believed to calm the nerves and cheer the spirits.

Traditionally, a large copper or iron cauldron set over an open hearth fire would have been used for boiling and preparatory steps. Skimming required a wide, shallow spoon or skimmer made from tin or pewter. Straining was accomplished with a coarse cloth or fine-meshed sieve, and fermentation took place in open wooden tubs before being transferred to stone or wooden casks. Lemons would have been cut with a simple kitchen knife, and stirring was done with a long wooden paddle. For bottling, glass bottles closed with corks and wax were used, though storage vessels could also include large stoneware jugs.