If red mead leavings will work I have a bunch.

Generally speaking, calling a winery any time besides October/November is folly - most start their vintages at the harvest and the first racking (when lees are most present) is around Halloween.

Two suggestions I have for right now are:
- http://tinyurl.com/4xh36m
- talk to a local homebrewer (such as myself) who is planning a batch for Midsummer, which means leavings will be available by the end of July.

LBV Port usually still has sediment in the bottle. Give it a good stiff swirl, then decant through a wine/tea strainer.

My suggestion would be to contact your local SCA brewer/vintner. If you're uncomfortable with approaching someone unknown, I can arrange an introduction.

make your own

Cakes of Light?

Ah, thx.

The L.A area has been pretty much out for a long time... We tried contacting the closest winery... but to no avail.

We have been doing the port reduction method. Kinda sucks.. but we don't really know what else to do. ACK.

Thank you very much!!

http://www.psawbc.org/
http://www.bewbc.org/index.php?option=com_...&Itemid=101

more info here:
http://www.winepress.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=26423&pid=276969&st=0&#entry276969

At a Cakes of Light workshop, tzaddi93 taught us to boil down port. But this was a few years ago so I don't know if she would still suggest it.

Which begs the question what would happen if one made a batch and allowed the dough to rise?

good to know!

The first time I read "cookie" it was from (American) On High rather than Unckle Al and it was more to define consistency than components. Of course, we all know that cookie consistency ranges from 'nilla wafer's crispy to Mrs. Fields' gooey, so it really doesn't help.

I have some from the batch that princekermit made.

The problem would be then to get it to you.

Did you read illuminaut's article in Agape'? This might be a good time to try the cream of tartar option.

I use mead leavings (and throw in a splash of red wine). Yeah, I suppose it is technically "cheating," but it covers both bases well enough for me.

Have you thought of just making your own? The wine brewer/chef/occultist that I talked to suggested just taking a jug of grape juice and some brewer's yeast and starting the brewing process. This typically takes about a month to get a good base of leavings going. Otherwise if I need a quick fix and can't wait the month, I will use a quick rise yeast and juice and let that ferment for a few hours and then use the leavings. It depends on how much rise you like to your cakes for the amount of active yeast is still in the leavings. If you are used to using the dregs, then the yeast is pretty much dead and that can be accomplished by warming the liquid base or leaving the alcohol content to kill off the majority of the remaining active yeast. But if you are getting it from the first pull from the winery, you are probably getting still a decent amount of live yeast in the leavings to give at least a somewhat noticeable rise to the cakes of light.

A little late, but I posted the handout here:

http://princekermit.livejournal.com/433360.html