The virtue of the sloe was highlighted by TV's newest (and poshest) chef Valentine Warner in last weeks episode, here is a recipe.
It really is worth doing, provided you can cope with the idea of waiting for 3 months for something to be ready.
The recipe is old-school Constance Spry, who suggests that you use the boozy leftover sloes in a pies. That is perhaps taking avoiding waste a step too far. The age of the recipe is given away by measuring the berries in pints.
My attempt at picking them last year was marred only by having no idea what I was looking for. I ended up with sloes, elderberries, and lots of rose hips. I've included a pic to save on phone calls from the middle of a field.
Sloe gin
1 and a half pint sloes
Quart gin (a 750ml bottle will do - cheap stuff is fine)
3/4 pounds caster sugar
Few drops almond essence
1l kilner jar
Prick each sloe a couple of times with a sharp fork. Put all the ingrediants into the jar, and shake. Leave to develop somewhere cool and dark for at least three months, shaking every so often. Once the time is up, strain using muslin or filter papers. Make sure you have a nice bottle on hand to decant into.
It really is worth doing, provided you can cope with the idea of waiting for 3 months for something to be ready.
The recipe is old-school Constance Spry, who suggests that you use the boozy leftover sloes in a pies. That is perhaps taking avoiding waste a step too far. The age of the recipe is given away by measuring the berries in pints.
My attempt at picking them last year was marred only by having no idea what I was looking for. I ended up with sloes, elderberries, and lots of rose hips. I've included a pic to save on phone calls from the middle of a field.
Sloe gin
1 and a half pint sloes
Quart gin (a 750ml bottle will do - cheap stuff is fine)
3/4 pounds caster sugar
Few drops almond essence
1l kilner jar
Prick each sloe a couple of times with a sharp fork. Put all the ingrediants into the jar, and shake. Leave to develop somewhere cool and dark for at least three months, shaking every so often. Once the time is up, strain using muslin or filter papers. Make sure you have a nice bottle on hand to decant into.
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