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Épine liqueur

KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
in Fruit & veg
Has anyone (especially our French forum members) made Épine?  It’s made by picking young Blackthorn leaves and soaking them in alcohol. I picked the leaves today and am looking for any tips on how best to make it. 
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Haven't ever made it but I do like it.  It's tarditional Vendée drink called Trouspinette here and is served as "apéro".  The locals are always amazed when I tell them we wait till autumn and make sloe gin with the fruit.

    There are several recipes about but here are a couple:

    For 1 kilo of young blackthorn shoots, about 20 to 25cs long:-

    4 litres of red wine, 1 litre of eau de vie, 1 kilo of sugar, 4 sachets of vanilla sugar and 4 oranges, quartered.

    Combine everything in a large non-reactive container - glass or stainless steel.  Cover and leave to infuse for one week.  Strain and then bottle.

    Local recipe:
    • 1 kg young shoots of blackthorn
    • 1 kg caster sugar
    • 4 litres of red Mareuil wne - local to here and light and fruity
    • 1 litre of eau de vie (45°)
    • 1 vanilla pod, opened and seeded, whole thing added
    • 300 g de raspberry or peach leaves
    • 3 to 4 oranges cut into pieces

      As above, mix everything with the shoots and cover.  leave to infuse for a week, stirring or turning every day.   Strain and bottle.

    I have also had it made with white wine so it's up to you.



    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • PeggyTXPeggyTX Posts: 556
    Well THAT ceryainly sounds tasty.  :)
    My low-carb recipe site: https://buttoni.wordpress.com/
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Thanks very much @Obelixx  A kilo sounds like an awful lot of leaves.  I’ll have to get picking again today.  I’ll let you know if we like the results!
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited May 2021
    @KeenOnGreen Maybe start with half quantities?

    But bear in mind you only get to do it for a very short period and need a year's supply.

    It is not as innocent as it tastes!
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    Sounds delicious @Obelixx. Just wondering if I have enough raspberry leaves I'm prepared to forfeit.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If not, try it without and just use the oranges.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Just wondering how your Trouspinette is coming along @KeenOnGreen.

    For many reasons, mostly to do with a tornado stripping off a barn roof and making walls unsafe, OH didn't prune his grape vines this year so we had a lot pf small grapes.    He decided to make Pineau with them.

    This involves a fermenting bottle in a special basket, lots of squashed grapes and lots of brandy and no doubt other stuff.  It needs to be kept in a cool, safe place and shaken every 2 days.  Our annex is ideal.  

    He forgot for the last few days so what did I find this morning?

    Explosion of squishy alcoholic grapes and juice all over the ceiling, wall, furniture, floor.......

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    😱

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I remember that happening with a demijohn of elderberry wine, which my dad put in the airing cupboard.  Mum wasn't too pleased;  I can't remember any home-brewing after that.. :D Even the plaster was permanently stained purple purple, never mind the clothes and linen etc.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    I had that with 5 gallons of blackberry wine on first fermentation. The kitchen looked like a chain saw massacre. It was Ok when I went to bed the night before.   I sold the 5 gallon carboys, press and fermentation bin. I'm going to stick to buying from Tescos or whoever has the best offers.  Does anyone want 20  x 1 gallon demijohns?
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