Made in September, sloe gin will be ready for Christmas. Rinse or wipe the sloes and remove the stalks. Discard any damaged or unsound fruit and prick the sloes with a silver fork.

Using 100 g (4 oz) castor sugar for 450 g (1 lb) sloes, pack alternate layers of sloes and sugar in a wide-necked screw-topped jar. Pour 1 bottle gin over, cover and screw up tightly. Store for three months, in a cool dark place, turning the jar occasionally.

Strain and pour into clean dry bottles. Stopper with clean corks, sterilized for 10 minutes in boiling water. Brush over the tops of the corks with melted paraffin wax if the bottles are to be kept for any length of time.