Recipes for Litha

Soft Mead
1 quart water, preferably spring water
1 cup honey
1 sliced lemon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Boil together all ingredients in a non-metallic pot. While boiling, scrape off the rising “scum” with a wooden spoon. When no more rises add the following:
pinch salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
Strain and cool. Drink in place of alcoholic mead or wine during the Simple Feast.

Recipes for Litha

Soft Mead
1 quart water, preferably spring water
1 cup honey
1 sliced lemon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Boil together all ingredients in a non-metallic pot. While boiling, scrape off the rising “scum” with a wooden spoon. When no more rises add the following:
pinch salt
juice of 1/2 lemon
Strain and cool. Drink in place of alcoholic mead or wine during the Simple Feast.

Midsummer Ritual Mead
2 1/2 gallons water (preferably fresh rainwater blessed by a priest or priestess)
1 cup each: meadowsweet herb, woodruff sprigs, heather flowers
3 cloves
1 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup barley malt
1 oz brewer’s yeast
Pour water into a large cauldron. Bring to a boil and add herbs and cloves. Boil for an hour and add honey, brown sugar, and barley malt. Stir thirteen times in a clockwise direction and remove from heat. Strain through a cheesecloth and allow the mead to cool. Stir in brewer’s yeast. Cover with a towel and let stand for one day and night. Strain, bottle, and store in a cool place until ready to serve. This is an ideal drink to serve at Summer Solstice.

Midsummer Incense