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Thursday 4 October 2012

No sloe show


It seems to be a really bad year for sloes this year. We've hardly seen any while out walking, certainly nowhere near enough for sloe gin. As an alternative, I'm trying raspberry gin and blueberry gin this year. 

I've not made either before, but even if it doesn't work, I should at least end up with a very alcoholic fruit compote.

10 comments:

banned said...

Not been familiar with sloes but there was a damson tree in the garden of my childhood.
I don't believe they do damsons these days.

A K Haart said...

banned - damson gin is supposed to be very good too, but I haven't seen them for ages.

Angus Dei said...

Sloe, sloe, quick, quick, sloe then AK?

A K Haart said...

Angus - I don't really do quick these days, let alone quick, quick (:

Thud said...

I have about 50 fruit trees of various types and ages and they havn't produced more than 50lb of fruit this year when last year it was several hundred pounds

A K Haart said...

Thud - 50? That must take some picking. It seems to be a really bad year from what I've seen - apples, plums, pears - all very poor.

Macheath said...

It's been a great year for damsons here in Central England - but we have, alas, used the entire harvest from our small tree for jam-making so there are none left over for gin.

Meanwhile, the apple crop being so disastrous that the cider press will stand untouched in the shed, the Spouse is experimenting with blackberry whisky.

The results are decidedly encouraging, though the frequency of quality controls means we've had to top it up with more whisky a few times.

A K Haart said...

Mac - I don't see many damsons round here, but plums have been poor.

As for apples, we only have one Bramley and it's been a poor crop too. Blackberry whisky sounds like a good idea for dark winter evenings. I thought of trying blackberry gin, but opted for blueberry instead. Not sure if blueberries will have enough flavour though.

Weekend Yachtsman said...

Raspberry gin, yum yum.

But Damson gin, well that is the nectar of the Gods.

I exaggerate, but only a little.

A K Haart said...

WY - that settles it - I'll try damson gin if I can find any damsons.