ethiopian honey wine

i'm looking for ethiopian restaurants that serve honey wine not from the bottle, but that they make themselves - anyone heard of this?

there WAS this awesome restaurant in berkeley called the blue nile that had the most delectable honey wine that they made themselves. i tried ordering it at an ethiopian restaurant on fairfax and it came prepackaged in a bottle and was completely different.

any help?!

thanks!

[Diana]

Tej is served in any of the ethiopian palces on Fairfax, except Rahel, which has no liquor license. Merkato does sell it, and I believe the Tej served up and down the street is all the same maker that Merkato sells.

You could try Wally's WIne and see if they could find you a different manufacturer.

In a pinch, a good sage mead will do.

[RicRios]

Last time I went to Awash, I asked for Ethiopian wine and they gave me a bottle of the one they make. Really nice stuff.

Awash
5990 1/2 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles 90035
At Steams Dr
Phone: [phone]

[tigerfly]

Hi Nina! The only restaurant I know of in Los Angeles that serves homemade honey wine is an ethiopian restaurant called Mesob on Fairfax. There may be others but I know for sure they do but you always have to ask for homemade honey wine versus just asking for honey wine. Even Mesob will serve you regular if you don't ask for homemade. Thanks

[therealbigtasty]

I like all the Tej I've had thus far. It's a tad sweet, but usually pairs well with the spicy foods.

My girl and I will usually drink a couple of bottles at our dinners in Little Ethiopia.

[yinyangdi]

how is ethiopian honey wine different from mead?

[coolbean98]

I believe tej is made with gesho, which is a kind of hop, and I think relies on spontaneous fermentation rather than the addition of a specific yeast.

I hope some other hounds can add more details to this info!

[jenofkuo]

I wasn't crazy about Merkato honey wine, it was just okay. The best tej I had was in DC at Meskerem (tasty food too.)

You probably know this is called "tej." You may have to call a few restaurants to get the answer. Meanwhile, my brother, who lives in Oakland, has made this with great success. I've linked a recipe, just for kicks. Merkato has a little market attached; perhaps they have the secret ingredients.

I first had Ethiopian food at Blue Nile in the 1970s and had it there again about a year ago. I think both Merkato and Meals by Genet have better food, if not homemade tej.

Link: http://www.pbm.com/pipermail/hist-bre...

christine,

did you know the blue nile is closed!!! it shut its doors in december of last year:(

thanks so much for the link!

[tigerfly]

Here's something interesting. This came out of a cookbook I bought in Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles on Fairfax.

Here is the recipe for Homemade Honey Wine:

Utensils: Small wooden barrel
Eathenware or large glass container
Medium cooking pot strainer

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of woody hops (Gesho) (Rhamnus phinoides L'Herit Rhamnaceae)

32 oz. honey
1 gallon of water

Preparation: Mix honey with water and put in a deep container. Store for 3 days in a warm room. Set aside. In a medium pot cook the hops taking 6 cups of honey and water mixture. Bring to boil and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes to avoid the bitter taste and let cool. Add boiled hops and honey water to the remaining honey water mixture and let it stand for 5 days.

When mixture ferments, remove hops using strainer and cover again for 24 hours. Taste for sweetness, add more hops to the moisture and cover with air tight container for 2-3 days. If too bitter add 1 cup honey and cover with air tight container for about 20 days. Before serving filter through clean cloth. Store container in a cold room or bottle and refrigerate. Usually after 4-8 days the t'ej becomes strong and sediment collects at the bottom of the container. Pour out slowly. Served chilled or at room temperature. Serves 6-12.

[Diana]

I never seen gesho at my local homebrew supply. Where can one get it? What other hops are close?

is it open fermentation? Hard to promise oneself natural yeast on the hops or honey. What type would you reccomend?

I am not sure if they make it themselves but Messob will serve the wine in a tej (also bottle). they could just fill it with the bottled wine for all I know though.
The food there is good if not in the same category as Meals by Genet.