Single hen

[Cate in NZ]

Jeff & I regularly take an early evening stroll down one of the little country lanes nearby (to one of the little country pubs ), and each summer we see these plump, oval coloured, dark berries growing in the hedgerows. Every year he tells me that they are sloes, but when I express interest in sloe gin he backs down and admits he's not sure. Since I wouldn't recognise a sloe if it jumped up and bit me I'm none too keen on making gin with unidentified berries. Actually I don't like gin, but I've no desire to poison ROM or MIL just yet .

If I can eventually get hold of a digital camera, and post some photos of these fruits would someone be kind enough to give their opinions please? The fruit I should say tend to appear early August around here, so an evening stroll may be in order next week, just in the name of research

[Mel (& Paul)]

oh, of course - research only....!

I cant help you with the question of sloes myself but my grandmother used to make it so I will check with my dad when he comes back from holiday. I am a gin lover but I dont think sloe gin has a really ginny taste - so you never know, it might be another drink that you have to try - for research purposes only

[Mrs Frugal]

 

I make sloe gin and sloe vodka every year and it's just wonderful. Well worth a go if you like a hedgerow tipple. If you want a recipe, I'll post one for you. There aren't many things out that look like sloes to muddle up - look for blackish berries with a blue bloom on them. The photo is a really good one to show what they should look like.

 

I prefer sloe vodka as it doesn't have a ginny taste - the sloes make it warming and rich - perfect after a cold winter walk or in front of the fire on chilly evenings.

[Lesley]

Good picture Kate! I also don't think there is anything you would confuse them with. They are about half the size of a damson and if it was damsons you found you could make damson gin/vodka anyway.

 

We pick sloes every year and my daughter and SIL make sloe gin. We have some small trees in the garden which have some berries on them for the first time this year, so hopefully I can just pick from the garden and not fall in ditches as I usually do

[Mrs Frugal]

I found a recipe for sloe jam the other day which I might try - I always get carried away and pick far too many! I've copied out a nice recipe for rosehip cheese today and I also make rosehip syrup for my youngest who is always full of cold!

 

The hedgerow fruits and flowers make lovely things to eat and drink. If I don't get round to making elderflower cordial, champagne and syrup for making into sorbets, I regret it all year and elderberry chutney is divine. Mix some elderberries with blackberries and hedgerow jelly is delicious too!! I do like a freebie, don't you!

[Mel (& Paul)]

I found a recipe for sloe jam the other day which I might try - I always get carried away and pick far too many! I've copied out a nice recipe for rosehip cheese today and I also make rosehip syrup for my youngest who is always full of cold!

 

The hedgerow fruits and flowers make lovely things to eat and drink. If I don't get round to making elderflower cordial, champagne and syrup for making into sorbets, I regret it all year and elderberry chutney is divine. Mix some elderberries with blackberries and hedgerow jelly is delicious too!! I do like a freebie, don't you!

 

 

Ooh, I am feeling a little peckish. Any chance of popping round for a smackerel of something

[Mrs Frugal]

If you weren't so far away, I'd have said yes!!

[Mel (& Paul)]

If you weren't so far away, I'd have said yes!!

 

I think it might be worth the drive.................

[Mrs Frugal]

[SarahJo]

Any chance of popping round for a smackerel of something

.. , you sound just like Winnie the Pooh .

 

Kate ... with all these hedgerow treats ... we only now need some "roadkill" for Motherhens recipe, to go with the condiments ...

 

I had Sloe Gin once .. and it did not taste a bit like gin to me, all the more reason to drink it in my book.

[Mrs Frugal]

Absolutely Sarah - I hate the taste of gin but love sloe gin!

[Mel (& Paul)]

:

.. , you sound just like Winnie the Pooh .

 

I think you'll find I bear (!!!) more than a passing resemblence to him to (although I do wear big pants with my red t-shirt )

[SarahJo]

[Lesley]

Kate ... with all these hedgerow treats ... we only now need some "roadkill" for Motherhens recipe, to go with the condiments ...

 

We're getting some 'combine kill' the man who put up a fence for us yesterday said he always takes his gun when combining - he's combining today - better make room in the freezer

[Sheilaz]

Good question, Kate A. I've seen those berries (great pic.Kate) many times & didn't know what they were.

You'll be off down that lane a lot in the next month then

We have Bella Donna in our garden. Recipe anyone?

[Lesley]

Kate and I could find a recipe Sheila - one to give to the neighbours

 

(Kate and I both have a horrible neighbour )

[SarahJo]

We're getting some 'combine kill'

.... should just be rabbits then, as Pheasants are not in season at the moment ... , they are easy to "hit" when the combining is done, as they tend to graze on any grass on the fringes, and are a clear target ..... , have I said too much. Maybe the odd pigeon too .....

[Lesley]

Yes - rabbit and pigeon he said. Every time a pigeon flew over when he was fencing you could see him mentally following with a gun!

 

Our sloes look a bit dry so perhaps they're not going to come to much this year. Back to the hedgerows this year.

 

Kate, can you use hips from the Rosa Rugosa do you know? (for the rose hip recipe) They are the big ornamental ones which you don't dead-head but leave to look nice in the Autumn.

[Mrs Frugal]

Easy way to determine whether they are sloes or not - look for the bloom - belladonna berries are very shiny and tasty looking but don't eat them, sloes are dull and bluish.

 

Belladonna- poisonous!!!!

 

 

Haven't got any Rosa Rugosa nearby Lesley so I go down the lovely lane by the river that we call my larder and pick loads of wild rosehips instead.[/b]

Edited July 24, 2005 by Guest

[Sheilaz]

Kate and I could find a recipe Sheila - one to give to the neighbours

(Kate and I both have a horrible neighbour )

Well, I need some on standby myself first...one neighbour alternates between friendly & helpful/totally beserk for no reason! There's no warning which it will be, so I'll keep a jar of something ready. Have given them box of eggs though, so they'd better behave.

I'll save you any spare berries...mix well with elderberries/blackcurrants!

[Cate in NZ]

Thanks Kate, those look exactly right, they must be sloes then . I'll definately take a few evening strolls to the pub now, clutching my tupperware of course. If sloes ripe & plentiful I can stop & pick, if not I can keep on going and drown my sorrows

I've heard of sloe gin, got a recipe tucked away somewhere- is sloe vodka made in the same way? I'm not a spirits girl at all these days, the odd glass of wine or 2 goes down rather too easily, but I can't remember the last time I drank spirits. That said in my misspent youth vodka was definitely my drink, so it could be worth tackling some sloe vodka too (for Christmas of course) assuming I can pick enough sloes

[Mrs Frugal]

Yes, sloe vodka is made in exactly the same way as sloe gin and tastes much better in my opinion! I might try sloe brandy as another alternative this year - I made raspberry brandy several years running and it's divine - so is blackberry brandy so it might make an interesting change! I'm not a spirits girl either but these are really lovely as a Christmas tipple or after a long cold walk!

[Cate in NZ]

Had a wander this afternoon, eyed up the sloes, but I've been researching that I'm not supposed to pick until after the first frosts . Seems late to me because some of them are looking pretty purple and ripe, although admittedly some still have a greenish tinge. I've left them alone for now, I'm sure that anything made with under-ripe fruit would be pretty horrid, but everythings ripening so early this year, that I'm not sure how to judge it. I've already picked enough fat, juicy & ripe blackberries to make my first lot of bramble jelly tomorrow, and I'm sure that I've never picked blackberries in July before