It's nearly blackberry time!

[chillicamper]

Nope - none of that electrickery mobile phone stuff with too many buttons

You know the old fashioned word.....blackberry.....fruit......thorns in your fingers

I've noticed the first few ripening in the hedgerows. Soon be time to go out with the kids and mooch along some hedgerows picking them.

If you want a use for the blackberries, but don't want to cook them or brew up a wine, make some blackberry vodka. Its like sloe gin......only with blackberries......and....errrr .... vodka

3/4 fill up a bottle with blackberries - for every inch of blackberries give a really good sprinkling of sugar. The fill the bottle with vodka - leave the vodka just below the neck of the bottle. This way, you can turn and shake the bottle every week and add another spoonful of sugar. After 2-3 months you strain it off and have a great blackberry vodka liqueur.

You can also make a great alcoholic apple & blackberry crumble with the brackberries - co nothing wasted...mmmmmmmmm

[Tonyblack]

There are lots of them ripening in the cemetery across from where I live. Zombie fruit.

[ChristianBecker]

Well, you could've said "rubus fruticosus" to avoid confusion.
Anyway, delicious fruit.
I'm sure my father will pick some (and then some more) and make some nice things from them.

[Penfold]

Nope - none of that electrickery mobile phone stuff with too many buttons

You know the old fashioned word.....blackberry.....fruit......thorns in your fingers ......

Sorry but I couldn't resist posting this;

[Catch-up]

Mmmm. Love blackberries.

[Who's Wee Dug]

Me too.

[raisindot]

3/4 fill up a bottle with blackberries - for every inch of blackberries give a really good sprinkling of sugar. The fill the bottle with vodka - leave the vodka just below the neck of the bottle. This way, you can turn and shake the bottle every week and add another spoonful of sugar. After 2-3 months you strain it off and have a great blackberry vodka liqueur.

Ohhhhhh, mannnnn....this sounds awesome. Gotta go sneak into someone's yard and steal me some blackberries.

[chillicamper]

3/4 fill up a bottle with blackberries - for every inch of blackberries give a really good sprinkling of sugar. The fill the bottle with vodka - leave the vodka just below the neck of the bottle. This way, you can turn and shake the bottle every week and add another spoonful of sugar. After 2-3 months you strain it off and have a great blackberry vodka liqueur.

Ohhhhhh, mannnnn....this sounds awesome. Gotta go sneak into someone's yard and steal me some blackberries.

You can use frozen ones from the shop, but it's always better to get something for free And yes it's sooooooo good.

It's also really nice poured over vanilla ice cream

[Catch-up]

Wow, that sounds yummy. Not really a big vodka fan though.

[chillicamper]

Wow, that sounds yummy. Not really a big vodka fan though.

You don't taste the vodka that much......it's a much sweeter fruit liqueur. I like vodka, but this does taste totally different. Warming, sweet and fruity. The perfect winter drink for a hip flask.

[janet]

Tip one....pick the blackberries when it's warm and dry as anything made with damp fruit won't keep so well...mind, the alcohol should take care of the preservation issues. Best not to wash the fruit for the same reason....just give it a good looking at and pick/brush off anything that shouldn't be there.
Tip two.....the alcoholic fruit is wonderful on icecream or in desserts like crumbles, cakes etc.
Tip three....this also works beautifully with raspberries and I'd love to try it with blackcurrants....mmmm

[Conforumist]

i had some last Friday while walking the dog and a few on the weekend. There are black' and raspberries in the back yard.

[BobtheDrog]

will have to try the blackberry vodka, I usually make a couple of bottles of raspberry a year. Have some blueberry in the works at the moment. Planning to mix up a batch of mango/pineapple rum.

[ChristianBecker]

I'd love to try it with blackcurrants....mmmm

Do. It's really delicious.

[Bouncy Castle]

will have to try the blackberry vodka, I usually make a couple of bottles of raspberry a year. Have some blueberry in the works at the moment. Planning to mix up a batch of mango/pineapple rum.

Now you're just being silly!!