By Jan Calvert
It’s been a good year for the fruit! Late summer brought a bounty of plums, apples, blackberries, elderberry and sloe.
Many of us will have enjoyed a blackberry and apple crumble or two, but what can we do to preserve these beautiful fruits for the colder months to come?
Local resident, Dominic Tucker, has been picking sloe to make gin. Traditionally, sloes are picked from the blackthorn, Prunus spinosa tree, after the first frost which splits their skin so the flavours of the fruit infuse with the alcohol.
This year, the harvest is early and fruit can be frozen with the same outcome.
Wash the fruit, add sugar and cover with gin or a spirit of your choosing. Ferment for several months in an airtight container. Sloe brandy or sloe rum works just as well and the same applies to blackberry vodka.
There are many recipes online for those who want to experiment.
Dom said: “Making gin is just for fun. My real passion is for fermenting kombucha.”
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from a ‘mother culture’ containing lactic acid bacteria and probiotics.
This year Dom has fermented plums but says his favourite is home grown mint with lime and hibiscus leaves. Research suggests that the fermentation process has real health benefits.
Dom added: “Fermenting creates an environment in which the ‘bad’ bacteria don’t survive, but the beneficial bacteria will thrive.
“Kumbucha is a fun project and the drink is not too sweet or artificial. It’s easy to make your own with a starter kit and there is plenty of information online.”
Alternatively, for a delicious elderberry syrup, combine two cups of washed elderberries with four cups of water and cinnamon or spice if desired.
Simmer for 30 minutes and strain. Stir in half a cup of honey and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
There’s still plenty of fruit on the trees. Make sure you have a clear identification of the fruit to be picked, watch out for the thorns and leave some for the birds!
Cheers! For further information about how to forage responsibly visit The Woodland Trust.
Sponsored content
