The Bullace are ready.

[JDog]

These were easy pickings this morning as the winds had blown them off the bushes. The painful bit now is to buy the vodka.

[Old Boggy]

Thanks for reminding me JDog.

I obtained a source of bullace earlier this year, so will venture out in the next couple of days to pick a load if, like yours, they`re ready.

Also a visit to Aldi for some cheap vodka is on the cards.

OB

[Walker570]

Yep shop around you do not need expensive vodka.  I have some clear liquid that was given to me and believe it may have travelled eastward on a ferry. I am about to use some of our bullace with this and see the result.  Of all the various drinks I make with fruit and vodka, gin, rum, whisky the bullace is by far the best in my opinion and a good inch in the bottom of a glass topped off with prosecco or one of the other alternative bubblies makes a very nice 'elevensies' or introductionary drink to friends when they come for a meal.

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Walker570

[mgsontour]

Mine are a later than yours and goes well infused into gin

[JDog]

I did the painful bit by buying the Vodka. My wife blended the ingredients which I hope will be an elixir.

[Walker570]

YES!!!!!

[landyboy]

Picked mine today ! Nearly got blown away, what’s people’s recipe for bullace vodka made some last year was not as flavoursome as the slow vodka I make 

[Yellow Bear]

12 minutes ago, landyboy said:

Picked mine today ! Nearly got blown away, what’s people’s recipe for bullace vodka made some last year was not as flavoursome as the slow vodka I make 

Did you freeze the fruit first?

[landyboy]

Yes always freeze them and sloes,  flavour was weak 

[Old Boggy]

I took up a new offer of helping myself to trees laden with Bullace, but when I got there, they were ripe but of the green variety. Always thought that they were greengages but I was told definitely Bullace. Have made two large kilner jars worth with vodka and rightly or wrongly have added some blackcurrent cordial to give the liquid a bit of colour. It currently has a pinkish bloom which is about as dark as it will go I think.

Hopefully it will turn out OK. Would have preferred the damson looking Bullace, but beggars cannot be choosers.

Perhaps I should have added some damsons instead as I have also got a good source of those.

Perhaps JDog will advise regarding green Bullace.

OB

[JDog]

I’ve never seen green Bullace so I can’t help. In my limited view hedgerow Bullace should be purple.

[Walker570]

3 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

I took up a new offer of helping myself to trees laden with Bullace, but when I got there, they were ripe but of the green variety. Always thought that they were greengages but I was told definitely Bullace. Have made two large kilner jars worth with vodka and rightly or wrongly have added some blackcurrent cordial to give the liquid a bit of colour. It currently has a pinkish bloom which is about as dark as it will go I think.

Hopefully it will turn out OK. Would have preferred the damson looking Bullace, but beggars cannot be choosers.

Perhaps I should have added some damsons instead as I have also got a good source of those.

Perhaps JDog will advise regarding green Bullace.

OB

 

2 hours ago, JDog said:

I’ve never seen green Bullace so I can’t help. In my limited view hedgerow Bullace should be purple.

I have three green bullace trees in my orchard.  The way to tell if they are ripe is, shake the tree, those that drop off are like honey, before that they are bitter.  My method is I squeeze the fruit to break the skin, put a couple of double handfuls of them in a big sweet jar, add a double handful of dark brown soft sugar and a couple of litres of vodka, gin, white rum and this year a quantity of unknown clear liquid which made it's way across the Irish Sea.  I give the jar a good shake each morning for about five days and let it then settle.  End october onwards I filter it off into flip top Kilner bottles and put them at the back of the already bottled 'juice' from last year. They might take 12 months or more before they get to the front of the queue.

I tend to use it as an additive to a glass of prosecco/cava for elevensies on a shoot or as a welcoming drink for frinds when we have a barbie or invite for evening meal.

I always get asked what is in the drink and there is never any left.

The brown sugar gives the fluid a nice dark honey colour.

Edited August 26, 2020 by Walker570

[Old Boggy]

25 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

 

I have three green bullace trees in my orchard.  The way to tell if they are ripe is, shake the tree, those that drop off are like honey, before that they are bitter.  My method is I squeeze the fruit to break the skin, put a couple of double handfuls of them in a big sweet jar, add a double handful of dark brown soft sugar and a couple of litres of vodka, gin, white rum and this year a quantity of unknown clear liquid which made it's way across the Irish Sea.  I give the jar a good shake each morning for about five days and let it then settle.  End october onwards I filter it off into flip top Kilner bottles and put them at the back of the already bottled 'juice' from last year. They might take 12 months or more before they get to the front of the queue.

I tend to use it as an additive to a glass of prosecco/cava for elevensies on a shoot or as a welcoming drink for frinds when we have a barbie or invite for evening meal.

I always get asked what is in the drink and there is never any left.

The brown sugar gives the fluid a nice dark honey colour.

Many thanks for that. I always add a small amount of sugar knowing that more can be added later, so I will now add brown sugar as advised.

OB