I've been exploring!

[spamel]

Took a few hours out today to investigate a new area, which seems to be made up of small shrubs and the like around the edge with a decent sized grassland in the middle. It isn't grazing land by the look of it as it is dry brown grass. Mooching about there, I came across a guy with an air rifle, I actually met his dog first which just appeared from amongst the bushes and gave me one hell of a fright! I was nose in a book at the time, as I believe I have discovered a bumper crop of sloes! I need to check them properly, but I am excited about it!

There is a lot of hawthorn about there, and also alder aswell, but everything seems to be quite stunted in growth. After the guy had gone on his way, I started to see lots of rabbit sign, such as grazing, runs and raisins! It is just a bit too open and used too often by dog walkers to set snares though. Saying that, the area seems to be quite free of dog mess, which is one over on Silverwood near by.

I didn't take my camera again, completely forgot, and I am very upset about that as there were some fine opportunities for photos such as a huge rabbit running across my path in the woods. At first, i thought the size of it that it was a hare, but it was just a huge rabbit.

I'm gonna have to pop up there again soon!

 

[Toddy]

Did you indeed

If you have got sloes I can recommend both sloe whisky and gin. After last years experiment (local poacher said, "Ach, y'don't need to buy thon Gordon's stuff, Lidl's is only six quid and it's brilliant for the sloes") I have to agree, I can't tell the difference and it's a third of the price. The whisky I used Grouse and it's *very* good

Most of my wanderings are amongst the little forgotten about bits of land that somehow all join together enough to allow a tremendous variety of wildlife and plants. Sounds like your area might be similar.
There's always someone about; but a quiet civil, "Aye" or "Nice morning" is enough to keep folks familiar and calm without intruding in anyone's peace and quiet. The poachers (ahem, hunters ) take rabbits, pigeons and the like but otherwise it's wild enough. Occasional iijits out drinking near the burn and that's about it.

atb,
Toddy

 

[spamel]

There was a burnt out moped up there, and a smashed fairing from a scooter, but apart from that, it was pretty much unspoiled.

I'm glad I went up there.

 

[Stew]

Sloe vodka is goo too mate!

 

[spamel]

Can you eat sloes straight from the bush? I have to make sure they definitely are sloes, but I am pretty sure of it. I've never came across them before, so you can understand my caution.

So, let me get this right, I buy a bottle of vodka/gin/whisky, neck half of it to make room for the sloes ( ) and then ***** the sloes and bung them in for a year. Correct?

 

[Toddy]

Sloes are bitter/ raw but they are edible in small quantities.Think of them as small, hard, wild damsons.

Pretty much, but add some soft brown sugar too and it'll make *all* the difference You can grind up some sweet cicely seed, some coriander and a tiny pinch of nutmeg and ginger and add that to one bottle and see is you perfer the slightly spicier version too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[spamel]

Pretty much, but add some soft brown sugar too and it'll make *all* the difference You can grind up some sweet cicely seed, some coriander and a tiny pinch of nutmeg and ginger and add that to one bottle and see is you perfer the slightly spicier version too.

cheers,
Toddy

That sounds great! In fact, I have a few demijohns sitting about, would it be easier for me to fill one up with vodka/gin/whisky and sloes and then airlock it for a wee while? Or I could do one of each!!

 

[Stew]

Can you eat sloes straight from the bush? I have to make sure they definitely are sloes, but I am pretty sure of it. I've never came across them before, so you can understand my caution.

They're not the best to eat, in my opinion. Some people like them though!

As Toddy says, add sugar! Not used brown myself so don't worry what type too much.

I like the sound of a spicy version!!

Last year I didn't get any sloes but I did get some Bullaces - basically a larger version of a Sloe. Work just as well.

I don't know what else you could confuse a Sloe with apart from a Bullace?

 

[spamel]

Well, my field guide is a collins one, the fungi one is notoriousl bad so I want a second opinion! Can never be too careful! I reckon they are sloes, but I just want to be 100% positive!

 

[Stew]

Take a picture and show us....

 

[spamel]

I would of if I hadn't forgot my camera! I may pop up there again tomorrow and take some pictures, there are some fantastic looking bugs on giant thistles up there.

 

[leon-b]

I made a batch of sloe gin last year, was really good.
Think i'll try sloe vodka this year though
Give it a go mate
leon

 

[spamel]

Just saw your pics of sloes on the other thread. Mine are more of a dusty blue colour than the purple ones you have. Saying that, I saw some rowan full of bright red berries the other day when I wa in Cradley, near Dudley. Up here, I haven't seen any in fruit yet!

 

[leon-b]

Next time your down there give the sloes a wipe and tell me if they change colour to a more purple colour
if not they may just not be ripe
leon

 

[spamel]

I'll pop along tomorrow. I reckon they are sloes, I just want to be 100% sure as I've never come across them before. I didn't start eating off the bushes and trees until I went over to Germany, apart from the obvious hazel nuts and blackberries, but I never encountered sloes there.

 

[leon-b]

Well dont eat these raw as although its safe to do they are very bitter although i heard that once you have made sloe gin you can eat them when the drinks finished
leon

 

[Toddy]

Well dont eat these raw as although its safe to do they are very bitter although i heard that once you have made sloe gin you can eat them when the drinks finished
leon

I really don't like the exhausted sloes; they always taste kind of mealy to me , but other folks enthuse about them, even adding them to baking and ice cream. I must be missing something My compost heap seems to like them though

cheers,
Toddy

 

[scanker]

My Grandma always used to take the sloes from sloe gin and then add them to sherry to make a fortified sloe sherry and then take the sloes once more, take the stone out and chop them up and add them to melted chocolate to make liquor chocolates.

I'm not over gone on sloe sherry, but sloes from sloe gin go well with chocolate IMO.

The blackthorn should be fairly easy to identify, although it seems a bit early for sloes yet. That said, they seem to be getting earlier and earlier each year in recent times. Folklore has it that, like parsnips, they taste better (sweeter) after the first frost. I think there's some truth in it. However, for the last few years, if I'd have waited until after a frost they'd have been ruined. You can get the same effect if you pick them when they're ripe and stick them in your freezer.

 

[British Red]

Spam,

I've added a picture below of the sloes on the farm right now. The dustiness is "bloom" and its a sign you are right. Check the leave shape in the photo. It should be rounded - slightly narrower near the twig, and slightly serrated (very tiny though)

In theory waiting for the first frosts is good, but many people harvest before the frost and freeze the sloes - this breaks down the cell structure and bursts the fruit. I tend to pierce with a fork, freeze and then use. Weight the sloes and one third fill a bottle or demijohon of jar (don't use bottles with a narrow neck - hard to get the sloes out). Add the same weight of sugar (or honey or syrup) as sloes. Fill to the brim with spirit. Shake every day for a month then every week for another two months. Pour into a clean bottle through a filter. Should be just ready for Christmas - they will be early this year I think

Red

 

[Eric_Methven]

Am I right in thinking that the dustiness on these sloes is a type of yeast? If so, could the skins be used to start a sourdough batch for bread making?

Eric