mulled damson gin (brings a little festive cheer!)

mulled damson gin

If you read my post about making damson gin last year, you will know that as much as I love gin, I don't drink it very often as it brings out the miserablist in me; we are talking weeping, wailing, and teeth-gnashing. I end up looking like a demented panda caught in a rain storm.

Frankly, it's a sorry sight, almost heart-rending. But the situation is not so dire that I cant find a use for my beautiful gin. I had made two bottles of fruit gin and I was damned if I would waste it. Those damsons could not have died in vain!

I've adapted my chicken with sloe gin for damson gin and it is rather lovely. But this is not a pretty dish; (it's very beige. It doesn't look at all festive and much as I've tried you can't really make a toast waving a couple of chicken breasts! So everything in moderation and I have worked out that if I mull the fruit-infused gin with cider and spices, then I don't end up looking like Heath Ledger's The Joker, This mulled cocktail is delicious; a very merry affair indeed. Cheers!

If you don't have any damson gin (or vodka), use a sloe gin instead. (There are lots of different brands on the market; you can usually find them in the bigger supermarkets.)

Skill level: Easy

ingredients:
200ml cloudy apple juice
1 litre cider (it doesn't even have to be the "good" stuff although I like Aspell's)
200ml damson or sloe gin
2 x cinnamon sticks
6 x cloves
3 x allspice berries, crushed
a thumbnail of roughly chopped fresh ginger
1 x star anise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey or sugar, (or more to taste)
more apple juice (optional

directions:

1. Gently heat the apple juice with the spices in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. 
2. Add the cider. Bring back to the boil and then remove from the heat. 
3. Add the damson gin and lemon juice.
4. Add the honey and stir to ensure that it is well dissolved. Add more if you like it really sweet. 
5. If you find that it is too alcoholic (I don't!), you can thin it down with more warmed apple juice. 
6. Do I really need to tell you to strain out the spices? Of course not!
7. If you can, skewer a boozy damson, then serve.