Sloes
Sloes are the hard, dusty looking purple fruits of the prickly blackthorn bush. They are too bitter to eat raw but it’s a different story when combined with strong alcohol and sugar and put aside to mingle and macerate into a delicious liqueur. To make sloe gin or vodka (in truth lots of the white based spirits are worth sloeing but its along time to wait to see if your experiment has worked gin and vodka is tried and tested), prick each sloe several times with a needle and half fill a large jar or bottle with them. Add half their weight in sugar, and then fill up with gin or vodka. Screw on the lid and leave for 6 months, shaking gently at least once a week. Strain off the sloes and filter the liqueur into a bottle through a funnel lined with a cloth or coffee filter paper. Seal tightly and store for at least 6 months before use - a year is even better.
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