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Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups
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Subject: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggytash Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:09 AM I've just started a Rumtopf (never done one before) so far I've got 2lb Strawberries, 2lb Cherries, 2lb Apricots 3lb sugar and a bottle and a half of dark rum. To this I will add white grapes and another fruit, more suager and more rum. When I searched the web I found only limited references to Rumtopf, anyone any experience and guidance to give. I also intend to create a Wassail cup which is traditionally taken on 12th night, again any info or advice would be welcome Yes I know it's only June but I do like to get prepared and the Rumtopf needs that long ! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Morticia Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:18 AM what advice do you need? Sounds like you are doing fine.....I used to make Rumtopfs a lot when I lived in Germany......in fact my parents have only just thrown one away that I started in 1987!Remember to keep some of the rum from the jar for your xmas cake if you make them. |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:20 AM Place the term RUMPOT - in the search engine of you choice - you will have hundreds of recipes.
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: greg stephens Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:24 AM Ido this regularly. I've never used rum, I think you get a better colour from the fruit if you start with a clear spirit. Though I do use light brown,rather than white, sugar: which I admit is illogical. I tend to use gin, though the batches I have made the last couple of years used some very dangerous home-made hooch that friends brought over from Bosnia in two litre lemonade bottles. Drunk neat it inspired profound Talking-Bollocks-Syndrome and Unable-T0-Find-The Bedroom-Door-In-The-Middle-Of-The-Night-With-Disastrous-Consequences, so I used it for making rumtopf: in the hope that the fruit would take some of the edge of thew effects. I dont think you can go wrong with this wonderful drink. I make it over the summer, use whatever fruit is in season. Blackberries, elderberries and damsons (all available in our garden) help to get a really deep colour. We always start drinking it at Christmas. Great stuff. Now the nights are drawing in, it's something to look forward to! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:26 AM And again - take your favorite search engine (yahoo, google etc) and this time use the term Wassail Bowl hundred more recipes will shower down upon your screen.
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggytash Date: 28 Jun 04 - 05:52 AM Gargoyle, I appreciate what you are saying, I used Rumtofp in the google search engine (I find on balance the best) but most of the links were in German and the translate button didn't function. The reason for asking here as well was to get info from people who had actually made them like Mortica and Greg Thanks Nick |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 28 Jun 04 - 07:05 AM The traditional way is to add fruits of your garden as soon as they are ripe and fill up the pot with rum every time so that the fruits are always covered. When the last fruits are added at the end of the season the pot should be full. Notice: The pot must be made of stone or bone china; don't use glass! An interesting aberration is the "Chinois", invented by the German Navy Artillery in Tsingtau: Instead of rum you use sake; if not available you may pour Nordhausen schnapps instead. For flavour you have to add one green nut sticked with cloves. I did it once - wow! Wilfried |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggtyash Date: 28 Jun 04 - 07:21 AM Wilfried, Interesting, I am using a pot rumtopf of German origin which my father bought me years ago. Am I correct to assume glass in not used as light can penetrate and spoil the fruit. I have not come across Nordhausen schnapps and cannot see Danish or Norwegian schnapps (that I have tried, especially the spiced Norwegian stuff! Nectar!)working as they all have quite strong flavours of carroway Finally what is a green nut and what effect does it have, the use of cloves in festive drinks is quite widespread in the UK and they are often over-used to the extent that it spoils rather than enhances the drink Cheers Raggy |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: greg stephens Date: 28 Jun 04 - 07:44 AM I am not keen on the clove idea. Great for mulled wine and stuff, but a bit too wintry for Rumtopf I think. What I like about opening the jar at Christmas is the light fruit flavour, made richer with sugar, alcohol., it is like a diary of the summer in colour and taste, I think cloves might confuse the message. I suspect the "no glass" rule is something to do with light. I awlays use a glass jar, but I keep it in a dark cupboard. I'm interested in the stone or china theory though, maybe I'll tryit. |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Raggytash Date: 28 Jun 04 - 01:20 PM Just bring this up a bit |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:09 AM Raggytash - you are right with the no-light-theory. A green nut is a walnut not yet ripe. The nut in its green mantle should be small, white and still soft. The schnapps from Nordhausen is called Nordhäuser; keep in mind that it is only used as a surrogate when sake (Japanese rice schnapps) is not available. But this was not the case in Tsingtau, the East Asian cruiser station of our Imperial Navy. In your first post you wrote that you only found limited references to rumtopf. Googling I found 67.600 references for it. I should call this rather exceedingly limited. Additional posibility: When adding ripe fruit you add half the weight sugar. Instead you may add the same weight honey (where sugar is expensive and honey abundant). Don't forget to stir with a clean spoon every two weeks. Greg - keep in mind please, that the Chinois is not a rumpot, but a different kind of recipe. The cloves here must be used together with the green nut in sake to give the mixture a special flavour; they are naturally not used with the original rumpot. |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: pavane Date: 29 Jun 04 - 03:44 AM I didn't have much luck with the softer fruits, raspberries & strawberries. Red & Black currants seemed to last better. I also tried preserving cumquats in 96% spirit. Rather potent! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggytash Date: 29 Jun 04 - 04:05 AM Wilfried I'm learning, none of the recipes I've seen mention stirring every two weeks. Although there were a lot of references to Rumtopf on the web they were (naturally enough) in German and for some reason my computer would not open a translation Thank you for your input are there any other things I should know and if you're in the UK round Christmas come and sample my (our) creation Cheers Raggy |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 29 Jun 04 - 04:23 AM
Can't we move our little prissy Martha Stewart down below - where he is more likely to get the kind attention he deserves?
Sincerely, |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: greg stephens Date: 29 Jun 04 - 04:30 AM Wilfried: your comments are great, and valued. I first stayed doing this on the suggestion of friends from bavaria. and it must be acknowleged that Germanic expertise is what we need here. I am very interested in your suggestion about honey: I am trying that for the first time this year. I have had some dietary advice on cutting down . as completely as possible, on cane sugar, and while I know honey is just another source of sugar, it is a different sort of sugar. So I'll give it a go. Anyway, I'm not giving up my liquid summer at Christmas, whatever diets may say! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: greg stephens Date: 29 Jun 04 - 04:36 AM The crucial thing, as far as I can see, with all such recipes, is to get your hands on some strong spirit to start with, something with a bit more poke than your average supermarket rum or gin. Because it's going to get diluted in the making process, and we want to know when we drink it that it's not a glass of fruit squash. We've had no mention of Irish experiences in this line...I imagine there must be tales of damson, sloes and other fruit in poteen that we could hear about. |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 29 Jun 04 - 06:08 AM pavane - No apples, black currants, blueberries or blackberries! About stirring: there are several schools; at least stir before adding a new layer! And here a standard recipe (Granny's rumpot) Rum: 54%, not less!!! Wash and clean fruits before use ratio of weight: 0,5 kg fruit + 0,25 kg sugar Before adding the next layer to the rumpot mix fruit and sugar in a separate pot and let them pass through for an hour, then add to crock and fill up with rum an inch wide over the fruit. Stir rumpot before adding a new layer of fruit Put crock in a dark cool place Control sometimes whether there is enough rum above the layers; if necessary fill up In the following the measures for rum are only approximative. Keep in mind: always an inch wide above the fruit! Calendar: May/June: 0,5 kg strawberries + 0,25 kg sugar + a bottle (about 0,7 l) of rum June/July: 1 kg sour cherries (stone not removed) + 0,5 kg sugar + 0,4 l rum July/ August: apricots and peaches, skinned, stones removed, in halves 0,5 kg each + 0,5 kg sugar + 0,4 l rum August/September: 0,5 kg plums or yellow plums, stones removed, in halves + 0,5 kg raspberries + 0,5 kg sugar + 0,4 l rum September/ Oktober: 0,5 kg pears, skinned, in pieces, seeds removed + 0,25 kg sugar + 0,2 l rum Oktober/November: four weeks latest after adding the last layer of fruits add half a [yo ho ho] bottle of rum November: wait for ripening December: consume at any date which seems suitable If you start too late: fruits you have forgotten to add may be ripen in a separate crock (with half the weight of sugar and enough rum an inch wide above the layer) and after four weeks may be added to the main crock impunely. I hope that I didn't mixh up all the berries while translating abstaining from rum Wilfried |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 29 Jun 04 - 06:17 AM oh, and Raggy - Thanks for the kind invitation but I'm afraid I can't make it to the UK in Xmas time. Not that I detest to be in the UK after having spent some days at the banks of sweet Humber (on the contrary) - my travel funds for this year are used up. cheers Wilfried |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Gargoyle Date: 29 Jun 04 - 06:21 AM Troll warning ! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Gargoyle Date: 29 Jun 04 - 06:25 AM Yes I admit it, I'm a troll. I have a very dull boring life and cannot abide other people having a good time, I get SO jealous and have to put nasty little narrow minded comments on threads that I have absolutely no interest in because you are the only people who will communicate with me. I wish someone would share a Rumtopf with me or pass a Wassail cup in my direction |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: *#1 PEASANT* Date: 29 Jun 04 - 05:43 PM The absolute wassail epicenter is at your service with all of the authentic customs and recipes....the biggest collection of them anywhere. Also wassail songs.... http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5567/wassail.html Wassail! Conrad Bladey Peasant |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: greg stephens Date: 29 Jun 04 - 05:57 PM Well gargy old son, i dont think you live round the corner, otherwise you'ld be very welcome for a visit, a yarn, and a shot of the purple nectar. because i have got quite a lot left from Christmas. In fact I am going to get a little sluggette right now. There, that was nice. Just as good at Midsummer as at Christmas. Sorry I cant share, but there you go. Slainte Glug |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:39 PM Gin - more - Gin |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 29 Jun 04 - 09:51 PM I've almost got it "wired" as to which clones .... are on what schedule...
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 29 Jun 04 - 10:52 PM To the Mr. Joe Cones
When so many...much more than worthy (compared to this thread)....are permulgated into the purgatory of MC's regions....why does THIS mispelt, misrellgated, absurd thread get adoption, and valadation in the UPPER REGIONS...when similar threads....spelled with similar cultural variations (Pomme Frits) become relegated to the undewelt?
Sincerely,
Is it their imaginative creativity, is it their closesness to a clone, is it oversight of an administration "asleep at the swithch?" or is it their posting "style".
We have a belly-rumbling sick thread here...that will only ferment until February with everyone having a six day belly-ache. |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggytash Date: 30 Jun 04 - 04:47 AM Gargoyle, my old china, just what is your problem with the inclusion of this thread. Rumtopfs and Wassails are both part of the folk tradition of Europe and as such are suitable subjects for discussion here. As I put in an earlier thread I raised it here in an attempt to solicit information from like minded people with experience of creating Rumtopfs and Wassails. May I suggest that if the thread irritates you in some way, you avoid reading it, this would seem to be the obvious and sensible course of action. As for the use of correct grammer and spelling, not everyone has the ability or knowledge to conduct their imput to the high standards you seem to desire. Perhaps you should attempt to enlighten rather than chastise, but not on this thread please. Cheers Raggy P.S. When the Rumtopf is ready come round and sample some |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Herga Kitty Date: 30 Jun 04 - 11:14 AM Raggy I was introduced to the Rumtopf about 21 years ago, when Jim and Anni Mageean invited MCP and me for a meal, shortly before MCP went to work in Addis Abbaba for a couple of years... but have never tried one since. Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,Raggytash Date: 30 Jun 04 - 11:39 AM Is that because it was TOO potent or because it was cr........ you don't like it |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Zany Mouse Date: 30 Jun 04 - 02:51 PM My sister, Beatrice, made some for my parents' 60th wedding anniversary. It was fantastic but one could get drunk on a teaspoonful! WOW! Rhiannon |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Herga Kitty Date: 30 Jun 04 - 03:03 PM Raggy As far as I can remember, the taste was wonderful, but if you think about Jim, Anni, MCP, me and Rhiannon, I wouldn't recommend it for the health of relationships or the veracity of the survivors.... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,MCP Date: 30 Jun 04 - 08:46 PM Raggy I don't think relationship-instability can be directly attributed to rumtopf, unless one of you persistently drinks it all (which could engender disaffection on the part of the other). Generally I abhor having my veracity called into question by self-confessed inebriants. However, as the statement itself was issued by one of the survivors this seems to call the statement itself into question, a form of the this statement is a lie problem. Or perhaps veracity was an alcohol-addled brains' attempt at verticality, whose status is more likely to be challenged by the imbibing rumtopf. I shall take tea and rest. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Herga Kitty Date: 01 Jul 04 - 04:00 AM At the risk of being pedantic, inebriant = intoxicating. I think it was the Rumtopf that was inebriant.... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: GUEST,MCP Date: 01 Jul 04 - 05:07 AM Surely if I'd meant inebriate I'd have said so. Which would you rather be intoxicating or intoxicated? Mick |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: KateG Date: 01 Jul 04 - 01:00 PM I've known this concoction under the name of tutti-frutti. Same principal, but the spirit used is brandy, and it's only added at the beginning. AFter that just fruit and sugar. The results are divine over vanilla ice cream. Hmmmm....maybe it's time to evict the flour from the family crock and put it back to it's proper use! |
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Subject: RE: Rumtopf's and Wassail Cups From: Herga Kitty Date: 01 Jul 04 - 02:55 PM Very gallantly put, Mick, thanks. To be honest, IIFRC, I wasn't very well after the Rumtopf (though this was probably because of earlier inebriants, or possibly the squid....) but I don't often drink spirits anyway. (Will confess to beer and wine though, to save anyone else the bother of pointing this out!) Kitty |
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