I’ve been racking my brains trying to think of a seasonal ‘September’ fruit for this week’s jammy blog, something less obvious than the usual strawberry or blackcurrant was sought, but for some reason however, I have become distracted with the whole subject of jam jars, bottles and jam recipes, actually the distraction has come in the form of Damsons? and the fact that my boss Denise has a very large Damson tree growing behind her garden shed and so posed the question “What do you do with several plastic buckets, full of damsons”? (One advantage of being a plastic bucket supplier, you’re never short of a plastic bucket or two).
And so after much Damson discussion, back to this week’s blog post suggestion and more importantly…. What do you do with plastic buckets filled with hundreds of Damsons? After several suggestions by different members of the Ampulla team, I’ve picked my personal favourites.
Boozy Port & Damson jam. I’m afraid you will have to Google the recipe, we do however have several jars, absolutely perfect for this project. Particularly our hexagonal jars available in a range of sizes, the smallest (45ml/ 1.5oz) being perfect for Xmas hampers, yes it really is getting near that time.
Damson Wine. (A personal favourite) We have fermentation buckets and both small and large wine bottles. Absolutely perfect for this.
Damson Gin. First of all you’ll need to freeze your fruit (Damsons), and I know we happen to have the perfect containers for this job. Clear plastic food tubs. This causes the skin to split, eliminating the need to prick the fruit and making them easier to fit the fruit into glass demijohns. Layer the fruits together with sugar and gin and store in a dark place for 2 to 3 months, after which it’s time to strain and bottle and here’s where our classic swing top bottles are perfect, not only do these bottles ooze with home brewing tradition but are perfect for showcasing your fruity creations but just add that little bit extra with an authentic finish to your Damson gin. For those of you who prefer a sharper taste why not leave to mature a while, don’t worry our swing top bottles come complete with ceramic stoppers, ideal for ensuring your gin doesn’t lose any taste or colour. The fun doesn’t stop once your gin is made, the discarded fruit, is perfect served with ice cream for a luxurious dessert. (Result!)
I’m guessing after all that boozy jam, wine and gin making, apart from needing to sleep most of the effects off, the plastic buckets full of Damson fruits, will be no more, and a new project will be sort for next month. Have fun!!!