Sloe Gin
(you'll need to save this recipe till autumn unless you have a stash of sloes from last year in the freezer)
2 lb sloes
2 pints gin
8 oz sugar (or half-half sugar and honey)
Wash the sloes and bung them into a freezer bag. Freeze them fast so their skins split (this replaces the traditional chore of pricking each sloe with a needle or a blackthorn thorn, which is definitely a mug's game!)
When you remember your bag of frozen sloes, retrieve them and tip them into a large jar. Add the gin and sugar (or sugar and honey). Close the jar firmly and give it a good shake.
Every day so so for the first week, give the jar a good swirl to help the sugar dissolve. Then put it out of temptation, somewhere cool and preferably dark, for at least three months (I leave mine for a year, but I like my SG very sloey).
After three months, taste -- if you like, leave it to soak up a bit more sloeyness -- if you're happy with the taste, filter it and enjoy. The ginny sloes themselves also make a wonderful, boozy topping for dark chocolate ice cream. :P