Blackberry Beginnings

For most of the year the bramble is seen as a cruel and invasive weed; it will grow almost anywhere, at an astonishing rate. It is capable of shredding clothing, piercing shoes and cutting soft skin to ribbons.

On our allotment there is a huge briar patch, which I thought needed taming. However, when I attempted to subdue the area and cut the brambles back with a scythe, it retaliated by growing massive stinging nettles, wrapped with bind weed. We have now come to a territorial agreement.

However, as August rears its sunny head and the school holidays arrive, people cease cursing the brambles, and start to talk fondly about Blackberry picking.

For many people the annual tradition of Blackberrying is as far as they get with foraging. For some though, it is only the beginning; the start of an exciting and multifaceted food-based adventure.

Blackberries always taste fantastic straight off the bush, they can be baked into an array of scrummy pies, cakes and puddings, and they make lovely Jams or Wine. If you don’t have the time for cooking right now, they can always be frozen and stored to use later in the year.

Delightful (Home-Made) Drinks

The British Government has made a proposal for minimum unit prices on alcohol. This legislation is not about abstinence but is designed to turn the tide on the reckless drinking culture that exists in some groups of people, for health reasons. Although this regulation is not designed to punish responsible drinkers, a new era of prohibition might persuade more people to try home brewing and start making their own country wines.

I have experimented, with making my own wine, beer and cider for many years; like a young boy with a chemistry set, I relish the alchemy of it all. So, I thought it would be useful to create a simple guide here, to show how easy it is to accomplish and also how entertaining it can be.

Cost-wise, there are obvious clear savings to be made; a basic starter kit is inexpensive and much of it can be found for free or will be available from your local recycling centre / Freecycle site. Always make sure all equipment is Food Safe.

Essential Kit List...

• Large Bucket
• Wooden Spoon
• Funnel
• Siphon tube
• Demijons & Bubblers
• Sugar
• Yeast
• Fruit/leaves etc for flavour

You may want to buy an inexpensive hydrometer, although this is not actually necessary, it does give you more control over the flavour and alcoholic content of your hooch.

A full demijohn will produce one gallon of wine, which amounts to about six bottles. However, as with home baking, producing your own drinks is not only about saving money, I simply enjoy the process. You will be unlikely to create something that tastes exactly the same as what is available in the shops but this is part of the fun. As well as being exciting, wine making is also easy, recipes and advice are readily available all over the internet, I tend to rely on the spirit of adventure as much as heavily stained archaic books.

Your friends and family may playfully mock your endeavours - mine do - but you can guess what I’m going to give them for Xmas!

Always Drink Responsibly J

Some strange and interesting drinks we have made are listed below...

• Plum wine
• Cider
• Perry
• Blackberry wine
• Sloe wine
• Elderberry port
• Apple wine
• Crab apple wine
• Medlar wine
• Beer
• Ginger wine
• Ginger beer
  
• Elderflower Cordial
• Elderflower Champagne
• Vin de Noix
• Walnut Schnapps
• Raspberry liquor
• Sloe Gin
• Sloe Wine
• Cherry brandy

Tasty Testing

Delicious Poached Pears

The benefits of storing and preserving fruit can be still enjoyed when the fruit is not in season. We cracked open a jar of Poached Pears, as a tribute to the two recently lost trees. I’m pleased to report that they tasted fantastic, especially when warmed up and combined with a healthy dollop of ice-cream.  The Perry made from those pears tastes great too.



Even Better Heated-Up With Ice Cream



I’m not terribly good at leaving things to mature – especially if it’s something I am partial too.

Blackberry Wine, Pear &Walnut Chutney, Mansbridge Apples

When I was decanting the blackberry wine on a cold night recently, I thought – “I’d better just taste a small sample, just for research …”



Home Made Chutney



Considering it was nowhere near finished, it tasted surprisingly agreeable and looked even better. I syphoned off a whole glassful, just to be sure.

Perky Cherry Plum Country Wine

Then I thought, “Hmmmmm, what would go well with a lovely red tipple such as this?” Cheese, chutney and apple, of course!” I answered.

My Fully Stocked (Home-Made) Wine Rack

I cracked open a jar of the Chunky Pear and Walnut that we made during the summer, slathered a few Ryvita, sliced up a Mansbridge apple and a desolate cucumber end that I found lurking in the fridge, turned up the radiator and set about the important business of testing the produce.

That jar did not last long and we have since fully approved Delia’s Dowerhouse (I know what one is now) and the Green Tomato varieties which, on reflection may compliment a well-developed cheese, perhaps with an immature Elderberry Port,  a perky Plum Wine or better still a strapping glass of Vin de Noix…