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THE FLOWING BOWL
Sloe Gin.
The difference between this cordial as made
at home, and allowed to mature gradually, and
the stuff retailed in taverns, is marked, 'Tis a
" refresher" which has only become popular
within the last few years j and consequently
within a radius of twenty miles from London,
the sloe-bushes are stripped of their fruit, before
it is fit to pick, by the poorer classes, who can
obtain sixpence per pound—or something like
that price—for sloes in the market. But the sloe
should not be picked for this purpose until it has
experienced at least one night's frost.
Allow one pound of sugar to one pound of sloes.
Half fill an ordinary quart bottle with sugared sloes,
and fill up with gin.
If the sloes have been
previously pricked, the liqueur will be fit for use in
a couple of months ; but 'tis better not to prick
them, but let the gin do its own work of extraction.
In that case the bottle should not be uncorked
within twelve months.
A great deal of the alleged sloe gin sold is
light in colour, and has evidently been hurried in
its preparation.
A great deal more is quite
innocent of sloe juice, and is merely inferior gin,
diluted and coloured.
The orthodox sloe gin
should bear the hue of "fruity" port wine. See
that you get it.
Highland Cordial.
Here is another recipe into which the wine
of bonnie Scotland enters.
At one time the