Salute spring with a batch of blackberry gin
One of the most wonderful things about spring is that fresh produce is in abundance – whether at your local farmers market or in your humble backyard veggie patch. It is heartbreaking, however, when you can’t eat your way through your fresh goodies before they go bad. Here to make sure nothing ever goes to waste are Meredith Kirton and Mandy Sinclair with their book The Produce Companion. Divided into two parts, the book guides you through cultivating your own home garden, then gives you creative ideas for how to turn it into something delicious. The Garden section provides handy hints on when to harvest and pick produce and the correct way to store it, while The Recipes section features more than 100 recipes for your bounty of goods, including pickles, chutneys, vinegars, jams and drinks, such as this recipe for blackberry gin.
INGREDIENTS
500 g blackberries
3 cups gin
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
TO MAKE
Divide the blackberries between two 750 ml sterilised bottles. Top up with the gin. Seal and store in a cool, dark place. Shake the bottles every second day for one week, then leave for one to three months to mature.
To finish the gin, strain the gin through muslin (cheesecloth) and discard the blackberries. Return the gin to the bottles. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and place over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool before adding to the gin a little at a time, tasting after each addition to ensure the gin does not become too sweet. When the flavour is to your liking, seal the bottles again and store for up to 12 months.
Makes 750 ml.
COOK’S NOTE
Mulberries work equally well in this easy recipe.
This is an edited extract and images from The Produce Companion by Merdith Kirton and Mandy Sinclair, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally.
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