HONEY WINE
M’ES

You may use 1 tablespoon of hops cones, ( available at beer-making stores), in place of the gesho leaves. In Eritrea, this rather sweet wine is drunk from traditional long-necked glass containers that look a great deal like bud vases. M’es takes eleven days to prepare.

4 cups (32 ounces) honey
1 cup of gesho leaves

Yield: 5 quarts

1. Mix the honey with 16 cups ( 1 gallon ) of water and put it in a large glass container (such as a 2-gallon jar) and let it stand for 2 days at room temperature.
2. On the third day, place the leaves in a pot with 8 cups of the honey and water mixture. Bring it to a boil and simmer it for 20 minutes over a low heat.
3. Pour this boils mixture back into the container of mixed honey and water and let it stand for an additional 7 days at room temperature.
4. Strain the mixture, discard the leaves. Cover the mixture and let it stand for another 2 days.
5. You may now strain the wine through a cloth and serve either at room temperature or chilled.