The weather is turning and the end of summer is here, the hedgerows and fruit trees are pregnant with the summer bounty, what a wonderful time of year to go foraging for free food!!! I know people moan about the weather in the UK but I like the changes in the seasons, I like snuggling up in front of the fire in winter and celebrating all the autumn and winter festivals. I love the spring time when the land wakes up and everything is renewed and leads into carefree hazy summer days. For most of my life I have lived in rural locations and the seasons dictated everything we did and to some extent what we ate.
One of my favourite tipples is sloe gin, warming and rich in flavour and as ever, easy and inexpensive to make. Right now there should be lots of sloes about so make the most of this time of year, the only commodity you really need is time.
I have made both sloe gin and sloe vodka and both taste great, see my recipe below for how to make this fantastic liqueur.
Ingredients
450g (16oz) sloes
450g (16oz) sugar
600ml gin or vodka
Method
Most people prick each sloe, however for a quicker result place your sloes in the freezer over night, this breaks down the sloes structure and helps to get those lovely juices flowing.
Get a large sterilised bottle/jar/container and place the sloes in this, next add all the sugar, finally add the alcohol. Place the lid on your container and give the contents a rigorous shake.
For the next week shake the mixture daily ensuring the sugar does not settle to the bottom. After this first week you will only need to shake the mixture once a week.
What you do next depends on your personal preference, most recipes differ. Some suggest leaving the sloes in for about 10 weeks, sieving off the mix and then bottling up. I personally leave the sloes in the mix for about three months and then sieve and put into sterilised bottles. At this point you can drink it but I would recommend leaving it for 18-24 months before drinking(some say even longer, one man I spoke to said 8 years!!).
Added extras: Try adding 2-3 cloves in sloe vodka for an even warmer liqueur.
