#Every Bit Counts Challenge Day 6 , 6th August 2022 - Blackberry Whisky and a bit of a catch up

My Dad God bless him would have been in his element, if he had been around to try this. His one weakness was a little tot of Whisky now and again.  He seems to have taken after my Nan in that respect!

I have a bottle of Whisky lurking in the drinks cupboard and it needs using up.  In all honesty I am not a Whisky drinker, and the way I do have a tot is in a tumbler with a tiny bit in the bottom and then topped up with lemonade.  Many of the purists would go yuk sacrilege at that, but this is the only way so far I have enjoyed it.  Then I saw this:

River Cottage Blackberry Whisky

Blackberry Whisky

What attracted me to this particular recipe is that there are no amounts you just use what you have to hand; and as I have some blackberries to hand at the moment I thought that I would give it a whirl to make a liqueur type drink for the Christmas Pantry. 

Yes, I know, that C word already, however a lot of my preserves are used at Christmas as after the Christmas lunch, it is cold pick n mix (unless the Chef decides to cook) in order that she also gets to have a rest somewhere along the line and relax.  There are usually a full range of pickles, pickled shallots, onions, Piccalilli, chutneys, Bread and Butter Cucumbers, Chili jelly, Chilli jam.  There is usually quite a selection.  They are used during the year as well but I always make sure that there is enough for the Christmas Box.  Yes I have a big Red Storage Chest that any bought bits and bobs go into.  Sad am I not!

Every year so far, ever since I have been an adult (although that is a matter of conjecture as the inner child frequently escapes) I accumulate extra food items for the Christmas season (bought items) and I always make my own as well.  The reason I do this is that it gives me a full range of ingredients from which to work from and gives a variation in taste to our diet in the cold winter months and reminds us of the scents and taste of summer.  I live in the  UK and the weather is variable apart from the fact that it is cold and when it is mega cold it is bitter.  Unfortunately I feel the cold due to medical issues; just what it is.  Sometimes the food we eat lifts our mood, just by the fact that it is different to what we normally have, and in the long grey winter days anything that lifts the mood is for me like sunshine on a summer's day.

Anyways, back to the Blackberry Whisky.  I digress. I thought that this might be one to lift the mood. The colour is fantastic and it is relatively simple to make.  Unusually for a liqueur recipe you leave the juices of the fruit to run and amalgamate with the sugar before adding the spirit.  I have managed to fill two x litre jars with said fruit and spirit. It is now on the Pantry shelf to macerate and mature;  I shall leave it about a month to six weeks before I check on it again.  With leaving the juices to run with the sugar, there is no need for me to shake the jar every day.  Perhaps a turn here and there.

This is therefore my offering for today on the #Everybitcountschallenge hosted by Jessica of Three Rivers Homestead. I really am enjoying this.  I hope you are too.

No offence meant to those who may be tea-total.  Each to our own and each for our own reasons.

It has been a pottering kind of day.  I have been sorting out equipment for wine-making and sorting out the last of my canning jars and getting them cleaned up in readiness for my next round of preserving. I tend to use the canning jars only for fruit, vegetables and meat (or I would do the latter two if I had done some)  and I use jam jars for most of my jams and jellies.

My fermentation buckets have been cleaned out and sterilised.  I am currently working through the demijohns to get them sorted out as well.

We walked the dog, a different way today and I have located more blackberries.  I may go and gather some more and bottle them on their own  this time round.  Can use them in a gateau that way on, once a thickened sauce has been made with the juices.

I was on the look out for twigs, cones, leaves etc.  The poor trees are suffering quite badly with the heat and leaves are going dry and crinkly, thus I think bringing autumn in quicker than usual.  There is a change in the air though.  Elderberries are also suffering, many are dried out.  I do not think I will be collecting any of them this year let the birds have them.  They do need them as they are one of the berries they feed on during our autumn.  We may have to assist them with feeding more than ever this year.

Right am off to potter.  Have a whole load of stuff to do as  usual.

Catch you later.

Pattypan

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