Autumn Foraging

[Aceman]

why thank you! i have ordered it for Christmas from my Wifey. incidently i pressed 4 gallons of apple juice in the end, i really hope it turns to cider and not vinegar! i lost the yeast for the final 3 and have thought i might as well see how nature manages it withought any sachets. after reading on google i wish i hadnt bothered!

[Snowangel-MK]

My sloe gin, vodka and whisky is all bottled and labelled up now....

...ready for Christmas !!

[Crepuscular Ray]

^^^

I'd always heard that it's better if left for a couple of years to lose the rough edges. Does your recipe avoid that need MKS?

[Coast]

It's looking like a bleak year for sloes and I went around all the secret little places I know at the weekend and they are very few and far between. I've probably got enough stored sloe gin from last year to see me thorough if I eek it out, but at this rate it's going to be a very poor season. Has anyone else noticed a distinct lack of sloes this year?

[jethro]

It's looking like a bleak year for sloes and I went around all the secret little places I know at the weekend and they are very few and far between. I've probably got enough stored sloe gin from last year to see me thorough if I eek it out, but at this rate it's going to be a very poor season. Has anyone else noticed a distinct lack of sloes this year?

It's the same around here, not a Sloe in sight; it was the harsh, late frosts which did the damage. I usually use Vodka instead of Gin, this year with the lack of Sloes I'm going to give Black Currants a go, perhaps Raspberries and Blackberries too. It's all fruit so it'll all work, tasting sessions may see me hiccuping my way through Christmas....

[Coast]

I just so like a home made sloe gin around Christmas time, it sets the scene for me. I think some blackberry vodka could be nice and I have been given a load of plums (not a big fan) that might go with brandy? I haven't seen anywhere with an abundance of wild fruit though this year.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/wildflowers-plants-and-tree-forums/104007-no-sloes.html

[Snowangel-MK]

It's looking like a bleak year for sloes and I went around all the secret little places I know at the weekend and they are very few and far between. I've probably got enough stored sloe gin from last year to see me thorough if I eek it out, but at this rate it's going to be a very poor season. Has anyone else noticed a distinct lack of sloes this year?

I've got access to a good supply (more than I will need) but I thought the berries looked a bit smaller than last year (I had a job to get some of them through the neck of the wine bottle) I've got plenty of last years left for this year but I wanted to make at least a couple of bottles to top up the stock ready for next year.

I just so like a home made sloe gin around Christmas time, it sets the scene for me. I think some blackberry vodka could be nice and I have been given a load of plums (not a big fan) that might go with brandy? I haven't seen anywhere with an abundance of wild fruit though this year.

The blackberries are a bit disappointing here, blackberry vodka sounds nice do you make that the same way as the sloe gin ? I might give that a try if I can find some more fruit what I've got frozen is for crumbles !

Another thing I'm looking forward to is a bottle of mulled Damson and Elderberry wine that I've been given to try, I'm just waiting for some cold frosty weather as an excuse to open that one

[Coast]

Although some crops seem to be depleted, mushrooms are having a good year according to this article:

Warm, wet weather means bumper year for mushrooms

The poor summer weather and recent sunshine has led to a bumper crop of wild mushrooms, according to experts.

Already foragers spurred on by celebrity chefs like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are setting out to pick field mushrooms and other delicacies. But the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has warned that the wrong kind of mushrooms can make people extremely sick and advised people to get expert advice before picking.

Some varieties are so toxic that they can prove fatal if eaten, while others cause sickness and severe cramps. Toxins in some of the most dangerous mushrooms are also generally not destroyed by cooking. Nicolas Evans, the author of the Horse Whisperer, had to have a kidney transplant after eating the wrong kind of mushroom in Scotland. The fashion for foraging has been spurred on by Antonio Carluccio and other chefs who recommend fresh mushrooms. Author Ian McEwan features a character who gathers the delicacy in his latest book Sweet Tooth and has warned people to pick mushrooms quickly each season - before supplies are snaffled by the Polish community who also love foraging.

Pete Brash, of the National Trust, said mushrooms thrive in the warm and wet. “People may notice more mushrooms when they are going for a walk. This is just the start of the traditional mushroom hunting season. I imagine if the warm weather continues it could be quite good.â€

Geoff Dann, from Brighton, who is an expert on wild mushrooms, said people are already signing up for foraging sessions to make the most of the season. He said "When it comes down to it, the obvious guidance is don't eat anything unless you know what it is. It's only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. "Provided people follow some basic rules, then they can learn about foraging for mushrooms without poisoning themselves or causing any serious ecological damage. "Some mushrooms don't kill right away. It can take a while for the toxins to build up and start damaging your kidneys, particularly if you eat loads of them.

In Surrey's Mole Valley, local fungi expert Ray Tantram leads expeditions looking for edible mushrooms but she warned people to be careful and avoid anything they're not 100 per cent sure about."Beginners should beware, as many common species of mushroom are poisonous and some are deadly, so pickers must learn to identify fungi accurately before they start eating them. "My favourite saying is that 100 per cent certainty of identification is only just good enough" she said.

Field mushrooms are the most common source of edible fungi in the UK. Other varieties include Chicken of the Woods, chanterelle and Penny Bun are also good edible species but the Death Cap is deadly if eaten. Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recommends the beefsteak mushroom as a good alternative to meat. Fungi remain one of the world's most diverse kingdoms of life, but scientists know surprisingly little about them. They are currently creating the first genetic library of the UK's fungi.

Currently, the UK is thought to contain anywhere between 12,000 to 20,000 species.

http://www.telegraph...-mushrooms.html

[Megan Enticknap]

CHRISTMAS TIME, 4 GALLONS OF WINE!

[alr1970]

The blackberries are a bit disappointing here, blackberry vodka sounds nice do you make that the same way as the sloe gin ?

Pretty much the same. Use less sugar as they're inherently sweet, and I read a recommendation to only let them soak for about a month, then drain and let it mature for a couple more months or it can be rather woody. Made some 2 years ago and it was lovely, got some more on the go now.

Anyone used "Polish Spirit" instead of gin/vodka? It's available at 75/90% alcohol - do not drink neat! - so the end product is much stronger.

[Coast]

Anyone used "Polish Spirit" instead of gin/vodka? It's available at 75/90% alcohol - do not drink neat! - so the end product is much stronger.

I've got some at home which has a fire hazard warning on the back! I also have some 70% Knockeen Hills Poteen that is nothing special on it's own, but may benefit from having some fruit added (sorry if you are Irish and I've just committed terrible blasphemy!). What does anyone recommend?

[Snowangel-MK]

I've got some at home which has a fire hazard warning on the back! I also have some 70% Knockeen Hills Poteen that is nothing special on it's own, but may benefit from having some fruit added (sorry if you are Irish and I've just committed terrible blasphemy!). What does anyone recommend?

mulled ? with perhaps a little sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon

[Coast]

mulled ? with perhaps a little sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon

I wouldn't put it near heat, I'll loose half our road! No, it's more like Tequila or Grappa in taste with a hell of kick, I think it would need something like plums (which I have a few of currently!)

http://www.yourirish.com/poitin

[jethro]

Pretty much the same. Use less sugar as they're inherently sweet, and I read a recommendation to only let them soak for about a month, then drain and let it mature for a couple more months or it can be rather woody. Made some 2 years ago and it was lovely, got some more on the go now.

Anyone used "Polish Spirit" instead of gin/vodka? It's available at 75/90% alcohol - do not drink neat! - so the end product is much stronger.

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole!

I used to work with a load of Polish blokes, one of them had been home and brought some almost pure alcohol Vodka back, we all had a bit of a session and a good time was had by all....That was until about half 5 the following morning when one of the chaps woke to find his arms were swollen to the point of being larger than his thighs and he was struggling to breath. A rapid trip in an Ambulance, followed by an immediate route into intensive care and a very worrying 24 hours passed before it was discovered he was suffering from Meths poisoning. Apparently an awful lot of very potent/high alcohol content Polish Vodka is cut with Meths.

Approach with extreme caution would be my advice.