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Available for over a year

This recipe was handed down from Chris's grandmother Rose Skinner, who is believed to have originally written it in around 1910. Here are Chris's instructions as heard on-air several times down the years on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Norfolk! * Each bottle of 'neat' gin produces two bottles of sloe gin (75cl) * Use a good quality gin, ideally 40% alcohol for maximum colour * Pick clean, sound, dry sloes with bloom. (Bloom is the blue colour 'hue' on the skin of the ripe plum species) Careful of the thorns! * Half fill a clean, clear glass bottle with gin (75cl size) * Add 4 ounces (100 grams) of caster sugar * Add half a teaspoon of almond essence for added piquancy (just two or three drops) * Add pricked sloes to fill the bottle - ensuring all sloes are covered in gin. (Or instead of pricking, freeze the sloes for 24 hours to break the skin) * Gently turn the bottle weekly, until all the sugar is dissolved. Wait a minimum of eight weeks before drinking! * For super-clear sloe gin, filter through a double muslin, then re-add the sloes Makes inexpensive and very welcome seasonal gifts in small, 180ml bottles.