Pimp your Gin

Having drunk nothing but great Chianti and Limoncello all year whilst out in Italy, I wasn't in a tearing hurry to lower my standards again on my return to university in Swansea. However, whilst the reasonably good stuff was very affordable in Tuscan shops, over here it is top shelf gold dust. So, with an abundance of free fruit at my fingertips every time I walked the dog, I decided that the best solution was to have a stab at making my own drinks using cheap gin or vodka as a base. The recipes are foolproof, requiring solely fruit, alcohol and sugar and there are countless articles online giving ratios and how best to go about it. So far I've made raspberry vodka and sloe gin, rowan berry schnapps, rose hip syrup and Crema di Limoncello.

Vines growing in the 'Orto di Pecci', Siena

Not only was making these naughty beverages an economical triumph, but it was an interesting activity in itself. Everyone I spoke to had their own family recipes and memories to share with me. When I showed my Granny the rose hips that I had gathered, she smiled, remembering being sent out in groups as children to scour the hedgerows for them during the war. The hips were then sent to the government and given back as a syrup for families to use as a source of vitamin C when there were no oranges to be had in times of rationing. Reflecting on this, the use I have in mind for my rose hip syrup seems rather a decadent adulteration in comparison, destined to be combined with prosecco as a twist on the old Bellini. Anyhow, for a good recipe try this link: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Rose hip syrup recipe

The abundance of sloes this autumn

One of the recipes I used was given to my mother at a New Year's Eve party. One of her fellow guests had brought along his home-made tipples as a gift to share:

Trevor's Raspberry Vodka

2 lb raspberries
1 lb sugar
1 pt vodka

Mix the berries with the sugar.
Steep the mixture in the vodka.
Leave alone in an airtight container for a few months, upturning from time to time.

Sugar and raspberries pre-vodka

I was inspired to make the limoncello by my unforgettable stay in Sicily with the Pellegrino family, who served me some of their homemade liqueur frozen so that it became like a shot of sorbet; as delicious as it was potent. Obviously I always knew that it wouldn't taste quite the same using British-bought lemons, but I am pleased to say that the result is still absolutely gorgeous. To try this yourself go to: Rosetta's crema di limoncello recipe *top tip: if you can't find any cheese cloth to strain your limoncello through, buy a pair of tights instead - they will do the job nicely!

Sunflowers and Limoncello: making Swansea feel like home