The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Recipes => Topic started by: whitby_sam on February 28, 2008, 12:51:58 am

Title: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: whitby_sam on February 28, 2008, 12:51:58 am
I'm told sloeberry wine is nice but to be honest I've no idea where to start! Also advice on making use of next season's surplus strawberries, plums, pears, apples and possibly even potatoes would be appreciated. Along an alcoholic theme would be nice  ;)
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: stephen on February 28, 2008, 10:19:48 am
vodka smoothies are really nice! my oh's dad brought a flashy juicer and then went on holiday so we decided a night in with tescos entire fruit selection and several very large bottles of vodka would be fun! strawberry and apple was nice and strawberry and kiwi! adding a splash of lime gave a new flavour to a boring grape juice! and the chickens loved the pulp from the waste part!  ;D
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 28, 2008, 10:38:01 am
hehe i have imagery of drunk chickens lol
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: stephen on February 28, 2008, 10:41:51 am
oh no i diddnt mean i gave the chickens vodka soaked pulp!! i added the vodka after the juicer had worked its magic! lol im sure my two girls would love cheeky vodka or two but they are both under house arrest a cluck away from an asbo after trying to escape by flying straight at my face when i opened the door!  ;D
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on February 28, 2008, 10:44:51 am
hehe i guess you meant 'no acholic' pulp lol but still has vision of chicken being 'hudlams' under the infuance of booze
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: carl on February 28, 2008, 01:18:26 pm
I havn't made any sloe gin this winter, as I thought i had eniugh in hand. However the local folk singers and all came round wassailing at christmas and they needed warming up.They all staggered away with big grins, ;D , but my stocks were depleted. I hope there are plenty of berries this autumn. Best tip I can give is use the cheapest supermarket own brand gin you can find as the sloes and sugar take over anyway. I think the local tesco think i am a raving alccie who has to rotate stores, as i go i once a year and buy 10 bottles. I have not tried wine making, or cider yet, but they create their own alcohol, via fermentation so it cuts out the need to spend on gin/vodka/brandy etc . (as an ingredient, i hastily add.).
carl ;)
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: whitby_sam on February 28, 2008, 02:50:26 pm
Where are you based? I've got a freezer full! I'd be more than happy to post you a bag...
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: carl on February 28, 2008, 02:59:34 pm
I am in sheffield , sam. But I could pick some of your spare sloes up next time we come up there.( out laws live in guisborough and runswick). Very kind of you to offer.
carl
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: Blinkers on March 18, 2008, 07:25:25 pm
Cheap gin........its OK for those of you living in France  ;D  We come over for a booze cruise (through the tunnel) and get the gin....to make the sloe gin! ::)
Title: Re: Lots of surplus sloes and no money for Gin...
Post by: Francis Bacon on August 26, 2008, 06:32:42 pm
I would love to make some Sloe Gin for Christmas this year,  I think I have several Sloe bushes but am not completely sure :-\  Although this year none have appeared on the bushes yet! The Bushes have long kind of spikes (spiteful >:() but the berry themselves are not as ball shaped or reddy/burgandy as in the John Seymours 'Self Suffiency' book they are much more of a very dark purple, are these likely to be Sloes - I don't want to poison anyone  :-[
Donna