Sloe Berries.  Add/Read Comments

I used to know someone who used to make sloe gin when he was still alive. Wonderful stuff. I love it. So sweet and sticky. ummm. Did you make enough for me?

You can make wine or preserves with the fruit. Also Elizabeth Raffalds book "The Experienced English Housekeeper" (1747) has a recipe for Sloe "Cheese", (as an alternative to the full recipe for Bullace "Cheese") - it is a thick dry fruit paste. I can send the recipe if you want. Finally - the leaves used to be used as a substitute (or adulterant) for tea. Sometimes it was called "English Tea". What a useful tree, and the fruit probably all going to waste now.

Sam - yes of course, I'll bring it over!

Old Foodie - now that sounds really interesting. Love to see the recipe, so send away. I am going to pick more in the next couple of days (have the gin now) so would love to try the 'cheese'.

Here it is: Elizabeth Raffald's recipe.
To make Bullace Cheese.
Take your bullace when they are full ripe, put them into a pot, and to every quart of bullace put a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar beat small. Bake them in a moderate oven till they are soft, then rub them through a hair sieve. To every pound of pulp add half a pound of loaf sugar beat fine, then boil it an hour and a half over a slow fire and keep stirring it all the time. Then pour it into potting pots and tie brandy papers over them, and keep them in a dry place. When it has stood a few months it wil cut very bright and fine. N.B. You may make sloe cheese the same way.

This is one of the things I miss from home. You can buy it in Australia but often I'm forced to drink benalyn cough mixture as a substitute (only joking).

After making the sloe gin. try adding the used sloes to cheap sherry for a couple of weeks.
I haven't tried it yet but I will this time
when I make the gin.

Did you end up making the cheese at all, Andrew? I would be very interested to know how it turns out...

But might have to wait until next year...

I did indeed Bonnie. I managed to make one and a half very small jars of the stuff. It is sitting in the cupboard as we speak... not sure when to unscrew though!

I can't believe that sloes have so few uses. They look and taste like olives, so has anyone tried to extract oil from them using the same method as olive oil production? Just think of the commercial possibilities!