Sorbet and tannin

[Jane Gillett]

Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.

I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?

Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.

Cheers
Jane

[Malcolm Loades]

Post by Jane Gillett
Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.
I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?
Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.
Cheers
Jane

Yes, freezing does alter some things. Ice cream mix before going into
the freezer always seems unreasonably sweet, but when frozen the
sweetness is toned down quite a lot.

Malcolm

[Ophelia]

"Jane Gillett" wrote in message news:***@higherstert.co.uk...

Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.

I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?

Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.

Cheers
Jane

==

Hello, Jane:))) Lovely to see you posting:))

I can't help with your problem, but I just wanted to say that:))

Best

O

[graham]

Post by Jane Gillett
Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.
I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?
Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.
Cheers
Jane

Did you make the sloe gin? If so, what was your method?
My grandparents used to make it by putting a cup of pricked sloes** and
a cup of sugar in an empty gin bottle and then topping it up with gin.
They turned the bottles every day ubtil the sugar had dissolved and it
was generally ready to drink by the following autumn.

** My skin was pricked multiple times as I had the onerous job of
picking them from the hedgerows on bitterly cold November days:-(
Graham

[Ophelia]

Post by Jane Gillett
Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since
way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.
I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?
Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.
Cheers
Jane

Did you make the sloe gin? If so, what was your method?
My grandparents used to make it by putting a cup of pricked sloes** and
a cup of sugar in an empty gin bottle and then topping it up with gin.
They turned the bottles every day ubtil the sugar had dissolved and it
was generally ready to drink by the following autumn.

** My skin was pricked multiple times as I had the onerous job of
picking them from the hedgerows on bitterly cold November days:-(
Graham

==

Ahh but you survived and still have lovely memories of your grandparents <g>
You can't buy that:)

[Jane Gillett]

Post by graham

Post by Jane Gillett
Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.
I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?
Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.
Cheers
Jane

Did you make the sloe gin? If so, what was your method?
My grandparents used to make it by putting a cup of pricked sloes** and
a cup of sugar in an empty gin bottle and then topping it up with gin.
They turned the bottles every day ubtil the sugar had dissolved and it
was generally ready to drink by the following autumn.
** My skin was pricked multiple times as I had the onerous job of
picking them from the hedgerows on bitterly cold November days:-(
Graham

Yes, we made the sloe gin. YEars ago some friends of ours bought an old
house which had had very little done to it for decades and they found a
cookery book in a room which had obviously been used as a wine "cellar" (on
the ground floor - undergound not possible for shall we say geological
reasons - but no windows). Recipe for sloe gin in that book.

Method for sloe gin>
. Prick the sloes with a silver needle.
Well, we did that the first time (modern needle - definitely not silver).
. Put fruit in an empty bottle; gin bottle.
. Fill the bottle with gin.
. Put the bottle away somwwhere cool and dark and turn occasionally; we did
that and turned when we remembered.
. After a couple of years open and try. Good.

Comments:
No sugar in the gin. We still do that as we like the result. Makes a nice
apperatif. We did put sugar syrup in the sorbet as per modern recipes.
We don't prick the sloes now; freeze and then thaw before adding the gin
and the skins split; have noticed a little cloudiness in the sloe gin
(could be the tannin reason?) but the flavour's good.

Picked the sloes on the banks of a creek leading to the Kingsbridge Estuary
in Devon. Interesting environment for a walk if nothing else; tidal with
brambles/sloe etc growing down to close to the edge and seaweed hanging in
the twigs.

Thankyou, Brian for the info on skins/tannin; a likely factor in this case,
I think.

No more sloes now until autumn but any ideas on how to reduce the tannin
future would be welcomed (however, not proposing to prick the sloes with a
needle, silver or otherwise!).

Thanks All,
Jane

[Brian Reay]

Post by Jane Gillett
Hi All,
A real pleasure to see this "gathering". Been involved since way-back-when.
However. Sorbets. A bit of background first just to set the scene.
I thought to make a sloe-gin-and=tonic sorbet as a second pud for CHristmas
as a straight gin-and-tonic sorbet had been good in the past if a bit of a
surprise to an eater who wasn't expecting it. Well, it did finally freeze -
after we had set the freezer to its coldest - and the flavour was lovely
but there was a real and unacceptable "finale" of tannin; no other way to
put it. Wondered why - there wasn't that much sloe in it - but really dried
your mouth out. Looked around for a reason, or at least a warning but
nothing so forgot until recently, something on tv about effects of cold and
apparently enhancement of certain things is one of them so I take that as
the reason. Pity; it was nice apart from that. Anyone know more and/or a
remedy?
Again, delighted to see the group in action and hope it continues.
Cheers
Jane

I've not tried this but someone mentioned something similar to me re a
frozen 'pudding' which had fruit flavoured/infused alcohol in it. They
repeated the infusion (I think it was plums) but removed the skins
first. Theory was the anin came from the skin. It worked but whether the
skin was the caused or something unknown changed is unknown.