Black Wine: A How-to from Start to Finish


"It was extremely strong, and bitter, but it was hot, and, unmistakably, it was coffee."--Assassin, 106


Grinding the Beans

Many items in a migratory society would likely have multiple uses - less to drag around, that way! Rather than crushing black wine beans with a hand grinder or some such task-specific device, Tuchuk slaves will improvise with what is on hand. For small pots of black wine, grab a cask of water, salted meats -- whatever is nearest -- and set it up on end. Place the beans on the lid and rock a heavy item back and forth across them, crushing the beans. Be creative.

To grind in large quantities, such as might be consumed by an Or of (ten) Outriders, use a clean animal trough and a small but heavy wheel. Roll it back and forth in the trough. Voila!

Brewing Black Wine

The tried and true method: Dump the powder into a clean rep cloth, tie the ends securely to make a tidy pouch, and drop it into a huge kettle of boiling water to steep. There will be several such pots over the cook fires at all times. If old black wine must be dumped from the kettles before fresh can be made, water can be found in barrels in the commissary, casks in the cold wagons (when such are in use), and fresh in the river and/or cold spring(s), depending on the geographical features of our current summer or winter lands.

Serving Black Wine

"'Second slave,' I told her, which, among the river towns, and in certain cities, particularly in the north, is a way of indicating that I would take the black wine without creams or sugars, and as it came from the pouring vessel..."--Guardsman, 244-245


"She carried a tray, on which were various spoons and sugars. She knelt, placing her tray upon the table. With a tiny spoon, its tip no more than a tenth of a hort in diameter, she placed four measures of white sugar, and six of yellow, in the cup; with two stirring spoons, one for the white sugar, another for the yellow, she stirred the beverage after each measure."--Tribesmen,89


If the free person you are serving desires more than one cup of black wine, "pouring vessels" (carafes) and serving trays are located in the commissaries. Small bowls of creams and sugars, and tiny spoons to measure and stir them, will be placed on the tray if the black wine will be served second slave.

 

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