It seems an interesting part of taking a simple view of life is foraging for food. How wonderful to be taking a walk and snacking on Nature's larder.
However, not all berries are very good to eat. But certainly one (when coupled with some patience), can make a wonderful drink.
It's Blackthorn berries, or sloes, for making Sloe Gin!
How I Make Sloe Gin
You will need:
berries, sugar, gin, bottles.
Collect a good harvest of berries - say enough to fill a gin bottle with them (ready to pick when they are a deep blue with a white blush);
Wash them, prick each one with a pin (or freeze them in a bag - the ice crystals that form inside splits the skin for you);
Fill half a bottle with the berries;
Fill the rest of the bottle with granulated sugar;
Now pour as much gin into the bottle as will fit. If you are using empty gin bottles, you will find that the gaps between the berries and the sugar takes about half a bottle of gin.
So, that's half a bottle of berries, half a bottle of sugar, and half a bottle of gin!
Now, put the lid on and give the bottle a good shake.
You will need to shake the bottle over the next several days, until all the sugar is dissolved, then hide the bottles (I am assuming you will want at least two), somewhere dark and out of the way.
This last stage is important - you need to leave the brew as long as possible for all the berries' flavour and colour to permeate the gin. As a rule of thumb - you harvest in the autumn and drink not sooner than the following spring. It is better if you can wait a whole year!
Then all you have to do is filter the gin into clean bottles using a muslin lined funnel, or similar.
Your patience will be repaid with a beautiful sweet gin of the most amazing colour and flavour. Amazing by itself, and great to add to Prosecco as a fancy
kir.
There is even one final gift these little berries will yield. Having drained off the liquid, cover the berries again with dry cider, and leave for a week. This yields a faintly pink and very strong cider drink.
Cheers! Happy New Year!
