Sloes

The sloe is the fruit of the blackthorn, a spiky hedge native to Europe, western Asia, and north Africa. These tiny, spherical fruits are a dark purple in colour, with a highly astringent and acidic flavour that makes them ideal for making jams and jellies. They are also excellent for making sloe gin, a delicious magenta-coloured liqueur that can be sipped after dinner or poured over vanilla ice cream.

Sloes are ready for picking from late September; however, fruit picked after the first frosts in late October will tend to be less bitter.