Traditional Lemon-Flavored Mead from Finland

 

From Time-Life's: Foods of the World - The Cooking of Scandinavia, 1968:

 

 

2 large lemons

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 quarts boiling water

1/8 tsp. yeast

5 tsp. sugar

15 raisins

With a small, sharp knife or rotary peeler, carefully peel off the yellow skins (zest) and set them aside; then cut away the white membranes of the lemons and discard them. Slice the lemons very thinly.

In a 6- to 8-quart enameled or stainless steel bowl, combine the lemon slices, lemon zest and the two sugars. pour the boiling water over the fruit and sugar, stir and let the mixture cool to tepid; then stir in the yeast. Allow the sima to ferment, uncovered, at room temperature for about 12 hours.

To bottle, use five 1-quart bottles with very tight covers or corks. Place one teaspoon of sugar and three raisins in the bottom of each bottle. Strain the sima through a sieve and, using a funnel, pour the liquid into the bottles. Close the bottles tightly and let them stand at room temperature one to two days, until the raisins have risen to the surface. Chill the sealed bottles until ready to serve.

Ingredients for sima include Lemon, sugar, active dry yeast, and raisins. The concoction of water and the lemon and sugars are mixed, boiled , and cooled to room temperature (25'C or 75'F). The yeast is added and the mixture left to stand overnight. The sima will be ready to drink when the raisins rise to the top of the bottles, about 3-7 days depending on the temperature of the room where they are stored. It is usually served chilled.

The current festival is, in most countries that celebrate it, named after Saint Walpurga, born in Devon about 710. Due to the coincidence of her holy day falling on the same day as the pagan holiday on which it was based, her name became associated with the celebrations. Walpurga was honored in the same way that Vikings had celebrated spring and as they spread throughout Europe, the two dates became mixed together and created the Walpurgis Night celebration. Early Christianity had a policy of 'Christianising' pagan festivals so it is perhaps no accident that St. Walpurga's day was set to May 11....

Historically Walpurgisnacht is derived from various pagan spring customs. Bonfires were built to keep away the dead and chaotic spirits that were then widely believed to walk among the living.[2] This is followed by the return of light and the sun as celebrated during May Day, although bonfires and witches are more closely associated with Easter (especially in Ostrobothnia, Finland) and bonfires alone with midsummer in the rest of Finland.

Saint Walpurga was a niece of Saint Boniface and, according to legend, daughter of St. Richard, a Saxon prince. She travelled with her brothers to Franconia, Germany, and became a nun in the convent of Heidenheim, Bavaria, which was founded by her brother Willibald. Shortly after moving the mortal remains of her brother,[3] Saint Winibald, Walpurga died of an illness on 25 February 779. She is therefore listed in the Roman Martyrology under 25 February. So that she might be buried beside Willibald, her relics were transferred on 1 May, and this date remains associated with her in the Finnish and Swedish calendars....[3][4]

In Finland, Walpurgis day (Vappu) is, along with New Year's Eve and Juhannus, the biggest carnival-style festival held in the streets of Finland's towns and cities. The celebration, which begins on the evening of April 30 and continues to May 1, typically centers on copious consumption of sparkling wine and other alcoholic beverages....One tradition is drinking homemade sima (mead) (whose alcohol content varies) along with freshly cooked doughnuts.