Primula Veris

Trying to teach our puppy to take a walk in the garden instead of being carried (he is a lazy bones already) I noticed that the cowslip already shows her yellow flowers. Hello, this is January not March. Can we save some of the springflowers for the appropriate period? Luckily not enough of these Primula Veris for this rather curious recipe for wine. I will just enjoy them in the garden and resist any temptation to put them in a spring salad.

Cowslipwine
Recipe from the collection of mrs. Sarah Dudly en Elizabeth O'Brien (XVIIIth Century)

Take 4 gallons of spring water 4 pound of fine suger, boyle them very well together and take off the scum that rises, then take a peck of pickt cowslips three quarter of a pound of raisins stone'd put these 2 into a stone pott close and lett them infuse 8 or 9 days stirring them up every other day, then strain the liquor into a pott with a spiggot , then take a large toast of leavened bread throwly toasted spread over on both sides with ale yeast pretty thick, put the toast thus done into the liquor then lett it stand close covered 10 days then draw it into bottles with a lump of suger in each bottle well corckt and kept 6 or 7 months before you drinke it it is best about that age but it will be good sooner if you pleas to use it.