h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My mother always used a silver pickle fork to puncture the sloes. She claimed that this was the 'proper' or traditional tool to use.
(Anyone know for sure ?)

I'd never heard that before, but it sounds as if it could have had some good reason - maybe the juice of the sloes would react with some other metals?

Azara

I have read elsewhere that the tratitional technique was to use a thorn from the same bush to prick the Sloes. However - I once got a nasty infection in my hand from one of these thorns so I would not use one myself.

I have developed a much faster technique to prick the skins: simply roll them over the spiky puree part of a grater with your palm. This is easier and less messy if the Sloes are frozen. Freezing them also improves the taste, but is not necessary if you picked them after the first frost.

On the subject of additives, last year I made some Sloe Gin with added Almond essence, it would not disolve into the Gin and the Sloe Gin that did not have it tasted better. This year I have used Vanilla Extract, which has disolved into the Gin. I'll let you know what it's like next year.

Another recipe you should try is Blackberry Whiskey, (600g fruit and 300g sugar per litre of Scotch) even if you don't like Whiskey you will like this!

Ouch. Yeah, those blackthorn spines are notoriously nasty! Apparently you can get a nasty infection or toxin from them or something... (But I can't remember where I heard that)

You have to avoid iron contamination as this will affect the colour of the drink (I think it goes brown)