Here is a recipe that should appeal to most of the regular folk. It has a couple of nice features: one of the key ingredients is free and the result is highy alcoholic.
I don't know whether Sloes grow in the USA and Oz but in the UK they are a reasonably commen hedgrerow shrub or bush (Prunus spinosa or Blackthorn for those of a botanical disposition).
The bushes can grow as big as the hedge is allowed to grow. They are full of huge thorns as can be seen at the right of the photo. The fruit are related to plums but are quite remarkably sour. They are ~1/2" (12mm) max in size and contain a stone. The countryside lore is that you need to wait until the second frost to pick them. That is more about timing than the effects of the frost itself. Even after fully ripening they will turn your teeth furry. Not at all nice to eat but the country folk found a use for them.
This has been a very good year and the kids and I picked about four pounds of fruit.
The other main ingredient is Gin. Any reasonable gin will do, supermarket grade is fine.
Take each fruit in turn then prick it or I prefer to cut 2 or 3 slits in the skin. This is time consuming so get the telly on and pour yourself a drink.
Find a suitable container, half fill it with fruit and add sugar to taste, say 3oz (150g) per pint (500ml). Less if you like it drier and more if you want it sweeter. Get a tight lid on it and keep somewhere cool and dark.
Shake the jar daily for as long as you can be bothered, after that whenever you remember. Decant from the berries after half a year or so as they are spent then but you can drink it after about a couple of months if you can't wait.
It can be drunk on it's own
or mixed with a little lemonade.
If you don't have any sloes you could try damsons. Get it in the jar now and it might be ready for Christmas.
I don't know whether Sloes grow in the USA and Oz but in the UK they are a reasonably commen hedgrerow shrub or bush (Prunus spinosa or Blackthorn for those of a botanical disposition).
The bushes can grow as big as the hedge is allowed to grow. They are full of huge thorns as can be seen at the right of the photo. The fruit are related to plums but are quite remarkably sour. They are ~1/2" (12mm) max in size and contain a stone. The countryside lore is that you need to wait until the second frost to pick them. That is more about timing than the effects of the frost itself. Even after fully ripening they will turn your teeth furry. Not at all nice to eat but the country folk found a use for them.
This has been a very good year and the kids and I picked about four pounds of fruit.
The other main ingredient is Gin. Any reasonable gin will do, supermarket grade is fine.
Take each fruit in turn then prick it or I prefer to cut 2 or 3 slits in the skin. This is time consuming so get the telly on and pour yourself a drink.
Find a suitable container, half fill it with fruit and add sugar to taste, say 3oz (150g) per pint (500ml). Less if you like it drier and more if you want it sweeter. Get a tight lid on it and keep somewhere cool and dark.
Shake the jar daily for as long as you can be bothered, after that whenever you remember. Decant from the berries after half a year or so as they are spent then but you can drink it after about a couple of months if you can't wait.
It can be drunk on it's own
or mixed with a little lemonade.
If you don't have any sloes you could try damsons. Get it in the jar now and it might be ready for Christmas.