70+ en

There are many "plums" on the blackthorn or sloe tree  ( Prunus spinosa )  this year. The sloe berries are very tart, but that changes when the first autumn frost sets in.That hasn't happened yet, but a trip in the freezer works as well. When frozen they are put in a glass jar and doused in vodka. Steep for a couple of months before filtering, and then the schnapps has to be stored a couple of years before drinking it. The sloe and the paradise apple schnapps soaking in vodka on my windowsill: 😏🍸 Danish

The wind has harvested quite a lot of apples, so we had to start making apple juice.  🍎🍏🍎 We wash the apples and cut them in quarters and remove the bumped spots. Then they are shredded and pressed in the apple press. This  produces a lot of shredded, pressed apple residue to put in the compost heap, but luckily also some juice 😀 The juice is pasteurized (heated til it reaches 80 degrees) , and then I pour it in glass containers and freeze it. I have earlier bottled and sealed with a bottle cap, but some got moldy during winter, so now I freeze all the juice. It takes time to make apple juice, and then it is annoying to have to throw some of it out. Danish

The paradise apple tree is loaded with fruit. Now it is time to make paradise apple schnapps. I think it is a bit earlier than usual, but this summer has also been exceptionally warm. The seeds  are brown , so I guess they are ripe. Wash the apples and cut off the top and bottom and then prickle the fruit thoroughly: Put the apples in a glass jar and fill with vodka. Let the apples soak in the vodka 2-3 months before you filter it. Danish

Before the cherries can be used for jam and liquor they need to be pitted. It is very easy using a hairpin. I had this little video made to show how it is done - but mostly to try a video in the blog ( so now I am a YouTuber)  😉: Cherry Jam:: 1 kg pitted cherries 300 g sugar 5 g citric acid 1 tsp Atamon Cook the cherries with sugar and citric acid about 20 minutes. Then I blended it with the knife blade on my Bamix, and let it cook again.  Check if the jam sets up, and if it is OK take it off the heat and add  Atamon. Atamon is a special Danish liquid preservative - consisting of water, preservative (E211), antioxidant (E270), color (E150) and flavoring.  Cherry Liquor/Schnapps 600 g cherries (pitted) 200 g sugar ca. ½ liter vodka Put the berries in a cleaned jar. Add sugar and vodka. Shake the jar the first days until the sugar is dissolved. After approx. ½ year you filter the liquor. Danish

The morello cherries are ripe now, and there are lots of them this year. They go very well with chocolate cake, so I made African Country Road Cake: African Country Road Cake 2 eggs Stir the ingredients together  Bake ½ hour at 180 degrees. Frosting: Melt the butter and combine with the rest. Spread it on top of the cake. 2 Dl sugar 1 Dl milk 2½ Dl flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp  v anilla sugar 2 tbsp cocoa powder 1½ Dl rapeseed oil Frosting: 100 g butter 2 Dl icing sugar 8 tbsp coffee 2 tbsp cocoa powder 4 Dl desiccated coconut I also made walnut schnapps because a big branch fell of the tree. Danish

Now the elder is blooming, so it is time to make the yearly batch of elderflower cordial. This year I have only made ½ the recipe (30 heads of elderflower). Recipe: Blost - Elderflower Cordial 60 big heads of elderflower  The elderflower heads, sugar, brown sugar, lemons in slices and the citrid acid is put in a container and the boiling water is poured over it. Stir and let stay till next day. Strain the elderflower cordial through muslin and decant into bottles or containers and put it in the freezer. 3 kg sugar 1½ kg brown sugar 6 organic lemons 100 g citrid acid 4½ liter boiling water We made it yesterday, so today we have to strain it and put it in the freezer. Danish

I got this bottle of Creme de Sureau for my birthday. It is made by a Danish firm called   Norlic It is a Danish liqueur made from organic elderberries, and it tastes really good. It is enjoyable a Danish firm makes liqueurs. They also make one on rhubarb, strawberry and vanilla, which I guess I have to taste 😋🍹. Another of their liqueurs are made with green walnuts. I have made schnapps on green walnuts, and that was fine, but as all schnapps you make it gets better if it is allowed to "mature" a couple of years before drinking. Walnut Schnapps 8 green  walnuts Wash the walnuts thoroughly,  pierce them with a  pin and put in a bottle. Fill the bottle with vodka and let  soak for 3-4 weeks. Filter and age a couple of years.  Use it  to add to a schnapps., don't drink it as it is. You can also cut the walnuts in halves instead of piercing them. . It gives you two different colored schnapps. The pierced is blue-green, and the one w...

Flower - Paradise Apple Blossoming Paradise Apple Some of the fun stuff of having a large garden, are the surprises that sometimes occurs. This Paradise Apple is self-sown, and not from the Paradise Apple already in the garden, when we bought the house. It has smaller, different apples and is not yet in bloom. So this is kind of a bonus tree - thanks to the birds 💗🐦 , and it has it's finest color right now. There are numerous sorts and colors, but all of the malus family. I use the apples for jelly and schnapps: Paradise Apple Schnapps paradise apples Rinse the apples. Cut the stem and the blossom end and pierce the apples . Put in a bottle and fill with vodka. .Let the apples soak in the vodka for 2-3 months. Filter. Mix it in your schnapps to your liking, or drink it as it is . vodka The snowball tree is close to bloom, but I almost think the flowers are at their most beautiful right now with the delicate light green color. It is also beautiful when it is al...