Too late for sloes...

[Mylovelyhorse]

For the past couple of weeks I've been scouring the local hedgerows, and have found approximately 3 sloes. Not quite enough for that gin I had planned. So, in a fit of 'well I want to soak *something* in gin (other than myself ), I bought some cranberries. Here's to the 2008 batch of cranberry gin!

[Graye]

I don't think there were many sloes this year. I scoured the hedgerows here in France and found TWO, then had a really good look last month in areas around Whitby where we found pounds last year and didn't find a single one.

Blackberries work well but you have to remove them pretty quickly; the drink tastes "woody" if you don't. Bit late for those now unless you have some frozen? Last year I bought some bags of frozen raspberries from the supermarket (they weren't awfully expensive) and made raspberry gin too. Or you could do what we do and use lots of sugar and coffee beans. The finished product is lovely and you don't even need to crush the beans!

[Mylovelyhorse]

Ooh. Coffee gin! How very lovely that sounds. May well make a batch of that too...

I see you're in 24 Graye? Am hoping to move to 19 myself next year (though 24 wouldn't be off my list either, if push came to shove...)

[Graye]

I'll see if I can find the coffee gin recipe if you would like it, I'm sure it's here somewhere.

Yes 24 is very beautiful and we enjoy it. You must pm me if I can help you!

[Mylovelyhorse]

Yes, please - I'd love the recipe. And as and when I eventually get over into L'hexagon, I'll let you know.

[Graye]

Here you are, bear in mind it's pretty strong even though it tastes innocent enough!

3ozs Coffee Beans
1 litre gin
4ozs of sugar

Put the coffee beans in a large sterilised bottle or jar and pour in the gin. Cover tightly and leave in a warmish place for about 8 weeks, shaking regularly. Add the sugar, shake well and recover. Shake every few days and leave until the sugar dissolves. Strain through muslin cloth. Pour into sterilised bottles. Seal with sterilised corks. Store in a cool dark place.

We actually don't bother with the straining etc and find the beans sink to the bottom. We just pour straight off the top.

You can do the same with orange peel too; use half the sugar and the finely chopped peel from about 4 oranges with 1 litre of gin. Try to get as much of the pith from the peel as possible as it makes the liqueur a little bitter.

[Mylovelyhorse]

Thanks - that's great. I'll just have to buy more cheap gin!!

And I love the idea of just pouring it straight from the jar. You're my kind of woman, obviously...

[Thaddeus Bushwhacker]

Has anyone had any sucess with their sloes this year?

I've made 5 litres of the stuff already (pre-frost - because we haven't had any yet) as they have started to wither. Because last years crop was so poor I have nothing for christmas this year so I picked the other week and froze them, hopefully I'll have a bottle or two for Christmas as well as some for the rest of the year.

I'm also going to try some of the other recipes from SloeBiz especially the sloe gin truffles http://www.sloe.biz/pip/viewtopic.php?f ... fles#p2762

[ADG]

there are still thousands of sloes around here theres some on all the exits of saddlebow roundabout kingslynn, and yesterday going to Melton from colsterworth roundabouton the A1 there were litteraly millions

[jampot]

i made mine back in september before all the sloes dissapear about the end of that month ! if i waited till the first frost id never get any sloes

[ADG]

I always pick them pre-frost then freeze them to get the skins to split

[Cheezy]

I've never seen so may here before, they were like bunches of grapes!.

I froze mine, have made the first batch of gin/vodka mix. Still have half a kilo in the freezer.

My plan is to make some hedgerow chutney with the rest along with some frozen elderberries. And I will be using the alcoholic sloes in this once they finished their job in the booze!.

[Brod]

Naff all sloes around my part of the world (Gloucestershire) they all withered and dropped off back in august. Luckily I was working near Salisbury last month (Winton area) and found plenty (picked 6lb odd in 10 minutes or so. They should still be on the bushes unless somebodies picked them even now.