Christmas (Sloe Gin) Mince Pies

[#1]

Sorry to mention Christmas so early, but I'm doing a bit of research on making something for Christmas and that is home-made sloe gin mince pies. 

I see that most i.e Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, ASDA, etc. (if not all) supermarkets are doing sloe gin mince pies this Christmas, so, I fear, there maybe a national shortage of sloes 😞 https://corporate.asda.com/media-library/photos/extra-special-sloe-gin-mince-pies-with-pink-gin-crea...

So is it too early to pick sloes for making gin or too late to infuse sloes in my gin or do I have to buy sloe gin for my mince pies or who makes the best sloe gin mince pies?

The ASDA sloe gine mince pie, with pink gin cream 🙂

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Everything Else to General Chat 

[#3]

Where we are in west Wales sloes are in their prime. 

Pick, don't use cheap gin, and enjoy. 

[#4]

Mince pies are just another alternative to accompany a big dollop of clotted cream ...  

[#5]

But.... Mince pies, (hot) are more yummmeee  with a couple of dollops of vanilla ice cream. 

[#6]

@shutter 

What I was trying to say is "the mince pies are just something to have with the Clotted Cream", i.e. just the secondary ingredient 

I even smear it on this Clotted Cream Ice Cream  

[#7]

@RobPN   Yeah... and the same to you  !.... Ice Cream tastes better with Hot Mince Pies...(slo jin or not ) !

(9th October 2018 news paper item )

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/money/3324157/lidl-is-selling-gingerbread-and-mince-pie-ice-cream-i...

[#8]

@shutter 

I wouldn't ruin my cream with a hot mince pie though, the cream would melt and lose it's clottedness.  

[#9]

Hot mince pies and ice cream?

Holy mother of God!

[#10]

@Minivanman   Ya never know what yer missin, till yer try.... !

[#11]

@shutter 

Oh I have and sure it has it's place in the grand scheme of things, but it ain't Christmas.  

[#12]

I was almost expecting to see pictures of a tray of mince pies on the bonnet of a SUV with a back drop of somewhere in the lake district. With a quote of "a smear of marmite on the top gives them an extra zing".

But this is better.

[#13]

Some say, fresh sloes (like Brussels (sorry to mention the EU) sprouts) need a fros to taste good!

Is that true?

If so, could I substitute the bitter Winter wait, with a burst in the freezer?

[#14]

I used to make a lot of different wines including sloe - elderberry - even potato and banana. But it was the wait to drink that got me. Often a couple of years or more for some. I just couldn't wait any more.

Though I did once forget some potato wine left at the back of a cupboard for several years. Tasted really good, and strong as well. Far better than most bought wines I've had. It was a sad day when I finished the last bottle of that.

[#15]

@billnotben 

Been down that long road with wine making.

Made some out of plums once, left it for a couple of years and although it was enough to blow your socks off it tasted awful. Found it all to much of a bother so now I just stick to doing the odd batch of home brew now and then which as you'll know, is only a two week wait after bottling - although a little longer and its a lot better.

I would have a go at making some of the strong stuff but far to much trouble - and far to many horror stories for my liking!