First Spring Blossoms and Winter Warmers

Early March may seem an odd time to be thinking of mid-winter but now is the time to pay special attention to hedgerows if you want to make an excellent traditional English winter drink; sloe gin.  The urban lifestyle is very instant, nip to the supermarket for anything you want but the rural mindset takes a longer view on things, we like to plan ahead and let things mature. Seeing the white blossom in a hedgerow in March is just such an example.

Today I woke before the dawn chorus, a fishing trip to a stretch of a brook where I have not fished in years was this morning's plan by invitation of my brother.  On my travels I noticed many of the blackthorn bushes in the hedgerows were in blossom, the leafless branches covered in white flowers like a blanket of fluffy snow. Their neighbours, the hawthorns, are not quite showing their leaves. This is an important difference between the two; the sloe bush flowers at the start of spring without leaves and the May bush flowers at the end of spring with leaves. Both of these traditional hedgerow bushes produce fruit that can be eaten but it is the sloe from the blackthorn that makes the boozy drink; sloe gin.

Blackthorn blossoms, 10th March 2012

Sloes should not be harvested until after the first frosts have hit and ripened them up, however each year it is a gamble as to whether the birds or your neighbour will have got to the fruit before you.  If you see your favourite bush being devoured by birds you best take a chance and pick some yourself! This is why we pay attention now, it is so much easier to spot a white blossom in the hedge when all the other trees and bushes are still waking up than look for the small blue dusty berries when everything is in full leaf.

To see the blossom lifts the spirits (quite literally come winter!) because spring has truly arrived, the winter snowdrops and cold loving crocus are nearing their end, now that explosion of flowers and green is only just around the corner. Winter clothes can be put away for another 6 or 7 months, we don't need them again until the sloes are ready.

How to make Sloe Gin

If you have never made this favourite winter warmer of mine before it is extremely easy, all you need is a bottle or demijohn, some sloes, some sugar and some inexpensive (not cheap) gin. Don't waste money on Plymouth or Bombay Sapphire, these gins are too good for "sloe-ing" and should be enjoyed as they are. Don't use cheap gin because it will taste cheap when it is finished, use a mid-priced good tasting gin to start with and your end product will be smooth, sweet and warming. Quantities are flexible and to each maker's own taste but on average this is a good measure:

• 1lb (500g) Sloes
• 8oz (250g) Sugar
• 1.5pint (75cl) Gin

The more gin you have the "thinner" the drink, the more sloes the "thicker" and of cause the more sugar the sweeter.

You must prick each sloe a couple of times to let the juice out, this will make your hands sticky and stain purple. Traditionally the pricking should be done with a thorn from the bush but a fork is faster and pin or needle works just as well. Some people cut the sloes. The juice is very bitter and will dry your mouth like a crab apple, don't let this put you off there is magic afoot.

Place all your prepared sloes in the bottle or demijohn (which must be at least double the volume of gin you are using), pour over sugar and give it a shake, now add your gin and really shake it up. Put the top on and put it somewhere cool and dark. For the next week give it a good shake at least once a day. After the first week you only need to swirl it around once or twice a week for the next to months, this means it's ready for Christmas! Mid-winter celebrations always seem better with a glass of home made sloe gin. When you are ready to drink the gin strain it through a sieve and/or muslin cloth into a another bottle or decanter to remove the sloes and any "bits" that might be floating around. There is no need to mix this with anything, drink it straight at room temperature, it has a built in mixer; sloe juice and sugar.

Alternatively you could replace the gin with vodka which makes a sharper drink, I have also tasted sloe whisky and rum, both were very nice indeed. If you happen to have access to damsons these can be used in place of sloes but require a little more sugar else the end result can be a little too sharp.

Even if you don't want to make sloe gin look out for these bushes, a true sign of better things to come; spring is here!