We’ve been toiling away making litres – six and a half litres – of sloe gin this weekend. The sloe crop is very impressive but sitting at the kitchen table pricking each one with a fork can be a bit dull and eventually you do get neck ache. Still it will all be worth it in the end as sloe gin makes a brilliant base for a lot of cocktails. Most of it will end up with Tom and Matt as they are impressively sociable Londoners – and they bought the gin.
Feeling a sudden rush of domesticity I picked loads of haws. The haw crop is very impressive too and they are much bigger and fatter than in normal years. However haws give you neck ache as well, getting rid of leaves and stalks. When the jelly bags are dripping you have to crush an egg shell and bung that in the bowl and then miraculously the rather muddy looking liquid clears so that you have a beautiful red translucent jelly, very satisfying.
The weather is odd, we’ve been surrounded by warm drizzle for days.
Alex A –
Rhia and I made 3 litres at the weekend. Very exciting!
We’ve got some blackberries too so may go for some blackberry vodka this year too.
William –
Freeze the sloes, saves pricking them and they infuse quicker!
Are you coming by this way sometime to pick up your redcurrants?
William