Well I've managed to pick enough sloes for this years sloe gin and enough crab apples for a gallon of wine. ( Making those tomorrrow) I didn't manage to find any edible mushrooms though.
I found a recipe for hawthorn brandy over the weekend so I might try that this year as well. Sunday made some ginger cordial. Far better than shop bought stuff but haven't managed to forage the ginger yet, had to buy it.
Paul
Down The Lane Forum
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Monday's forage
You'll be getting a reputation around these parts !!!!!
Foraging for Booze !!! And why not. I bet you enjoyed every minute of it. It's there for the taking and it's free. How many sloes do you put in a Bottle of Gin ? New Member? Get more from the Forum and join in 'Members Chat' - you're very welcome
Here is the recipe for the ginger cordial
1 large root of fresh ginger 2 cups of water 2 cups of sugar 1 cup of squeezed lemon juice 1 piece of lemon rind with no pith on 2 tsp cream of tartar Chop up the root ginger quite small. Put in a pan together with the sugar, water, lemon rind and cream of tartar. Bring to the boil Simmer for about 5 minutes and ensure that the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice Bring back to the boil and then turn off and leave to cool. Bottle in a clean screw top bottle This cordial will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks ( If it lasts that long) Throw it away if it goes discoloured or starts to taste funny. This is the first time I've used the recipe so I'm still at the trial and error stage. For me it could probably do with a little less lemon so that would have to be substituted with a little more water. I think next time I might try grating the ginger to give it more of a hit. Enjoy it anyway!!!  Do you remember the craze (in the early 60s I think) for 'ginger beer plants'.
You had to 'feed' it on sugar and ginger (powder), and every few days you decanted the liquid gave half of the plant away, topped up and carried on. It wasn't long before every one you knew had one (like a chain letter). Tales were told of exploding bottles. We even had one in our teetotal house hold.
I think the idea that it was a plant stems ( no pun intended ) from the fact that the concoction in the basin or whatever it was kept in contained yeast and yeast does grow, and it was fed same as a plant only it was fed on sugar.
By the time you had finished there was twice as much mixture so you gave half to someone else and started all over again Again the analogy with a plant where you would give someone a cutting of your favourite plant. Paul Sloe ginCan I be a jessie & ask any one for a sloe gin recipe, I've never ever made anything
oo, little lie, I made parsnip wine once, made you smashed from the legs down, you were fine till you tried to stand  Cheers
mel x
Heres mine. Just made two bottles this afternoon.
Take 1 empty bottle with lid Fill 1 third full of ripe sloes that have been pricked all over. Add 2 or 3 tsp of sugar Top up the bottle with gin put the lid on and give a good shake. shake it once or twice a day for a few weeks and then leave to settle. Keep it in a warm dark place Made now it can be drunk at christmas but the longer its left the better it is. Paul |
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