Notes from the Galley Slave: New Traditions onboard Pirramimma.

Good food and top quality stores are not an issue in the Netherlands. Or at least we haven't found it to be so. We think the supermarkets and weekly food markets that are to be found in the towns and cities in the Netherlands are excellent. But still, the Galley Slave likes to make certain preserves and liqueurs she considers to be 'essentials' for onboard eating and drinking pleasure. We think it's rather lovely to be able to offer our guests some home made treats when they join us onboard Pirramimma for meals or apéros. And these liqueurs, served in a tiny liqueur glass or mixed with white wine or Champagne are charming and delicious.

Galley Slave has been making her own Sloe Gin since moving back to the UK from Australia some 23 some years ago. Back then she was surrounded by beautiful Hampshire countryside and the hedgerows seemed to be bursting with sloes in Autumn. The recipe she used was based on one from Jane Grigson's superb 'Fruit Book', though Mrs Grigson gives the drink the far smarter name of Sloe Liqueur. 

About 3 or 4 years ago and following some cyber chats with friends Vivia and Linda, Galley Slave switched the base spirit from gin to vodka. Vodka, with its bland flavour, seems to allow the gentle, spicy flavour of the sloes to permeate the blend far more effectively (and deliciously) than gin. Or so it seems to us anyway. Thanks for the tip, ladies!  Other folk say it's also delicious when using brandy as the base spirit but Galley Slave has yet to try that. Maybe one of you lovely folk out there has tried making it that way…?

2014's batch of Sloe Vodka - an outstanding colour.

Since then, Galley Slave has experimented with a few different flavoured vodkas. Most notably using bush plums from the hedgerows near her current home in Suffolk, England. This little batch was utterly treasured; even more so as since then the spring flowering hedgerows have been plundered by pigeons. No flowers: no fruit: no fruit liqueur.  

Bush Plum Vodka. Home made in Suffolk by Galley Slave.

And probably some Raspberry Vodka as well. That was another tiny, but very successful batch she experimented with a couple of years back. It made just about 400ml of liqueur and seemed to disappear rapidly when offered to friends to enjoy. Which, of course, is the idea!

Group photo - fruit vodkas doin' their thang. Plus apricots in Sauterne.    Photo: Veronica Hayes

Rhubarb vodka was, in our opinion, less successful. The colour was an extraordinary pink which sadly faded within a matter of weeks after the liqueur was filtered off the fruit. But there wasn't much flavour in the first place so a 'thumbs down' for that effort. 

It looked pretty enough. 

This winter, she'll be making more Sloe Vodka together with more of a fabulous Coffee and Orange Rum Liqueur to name but a couple. Also this year, the Coffee and Orange Rum Liqueur will have a comparison brew made using cognac as the base spirit. It'll be interesting to see how they compare and which we prefer. This time too, Galley Slave is upping the quantities so as to be able to give some little treats as gifts. There'll be more on the Coffee and Rum liqueur in another blog post as the method is quite different to these other fruit liqueurs.

An excellent recipe book - it's still in fruit. Photo: Veronica Hayes

Sloes are mouth puckeringly sour, so for sloe vodka I tend to use about 700 gms of fruit to about 1 - 1.2 litres of vodka. And about 600 gms or so of white granulated sugar. Traditionally, you should also peel one of the notoriously sharp needles from the sloe branch and use that to prick each of the sloe berries several times before popping the fruit into a pristinely clean, sterilised preserving jar. This lets juice, flavour and colour seep into the vodka. Add the sugar and vodka. Close the lid tightly and shake the preserving jar before putting it into a dark, cool cupboard. Then remember to shake the jar thoroughly a couple of times a week to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, leave the fruit and vodka to get to know each other a little better: 6 months or so. In truth, I have forgotten about bottles in the past and left them for longer than 12 months - a pleasant surprise in the finding! 

When you're ready, strain the liqueur off the fruit. Unless you don't mind some sediment and therefore a cloudy effect to your drink, pour it through some coffee filters or two layers of scalded muslin draped over a funnel when you take the liquid off the fruit. You'll get a lovely clear liquid. And remember to label your bottles. I always think I'll remember what's what. But usually forget come 6 months down the line.

Sloe Vodka 2014 after bottling. Look at that colour!! Photo: Veronica Hayes.

The fun is in the experimenting. Just think about how sweet or sour the fruit is that you're using and adjust the sugar levels accordingly. Also, think about whether you prefer a sweeter drink or not. It's also worth mentioning that they are high in alcohol and therefore strong. A little goes a long way. You have been warned!

Vxx