Way back in November a week away at Ed’s sister’s second home at the tranquil and relaxing Lower Mill Estate, coincided with my birthday, the sloe harvest and time spent with our ever inspiring and energising good friend Monica (and Rocky).
As much as we love the Fuss Free flat we do cherish our weeks at Lower Mill; during term time the house is empty in the week and the estate is an oasis of peace and quiet. I have a huge kitchen to play in, and a long white table lit from two sides. It is perfect for photography and as the light faded on my birthday I shot the cover for Monica’s book.
Monica had challenged me to make sloe ice cream, which used my sloe syrup to flavour it, and the remains of the syrup made their way into champagne cocktails for my birthday.
I still have the last of the syrup in the freezer, and mixed with some fizzy wine it makes the perfect pretty deep pink cocktail to enjoy with your Valentine. We used a good bottle of champagne, but with hindsight I think a cheaper and slightly sweeter bottle of sparkling wine or Cava would work better. And if you really love cocktails try my spiced rhubarb prosecco.
Serve with your Ostrich Fillets over Pasta!
Recipe: The Cotswold Sling - Champagne & Sloe Cocktail
Ingredients
- Sloe Syrup
- Champagne (Cave or Fizzy wine)
Instructions
- Pour a dash of sloe syrup into glasses and top up with well chilled fizzy wine.
- Enjoy elegantly.
Fiona Naughton
This sounds delicious, the perfect thing to cleanse your pallet after a hearty dinner :)
Sylvia
Never tried sloe syrup! Looks interesting. I wonder if it goes well with the tea for non-drinking me ;)
Helen
Personally I think the best use of the sloe syrup is in ice cream!
Laura
I love Champagne cocktails & this one sounds yum!
L x
Jacqueline Meldrum
I see you had more success with your champagne cocktail than I did. Humph!
Heidi Roberts
One of my favourite summer drinks is champagne with home made sloe gin!!
Helen
Delicious! More of a kick than this version!
Jude - A Trifle Rushed
A perfect cocktail. I must make sloe syrup next autumn it sounds so versatile. We often make kirs in France with cheap fizz & sloe or damson gin, not quite as luxurious as this delicious recipe.
Helen
There is nothing like a fizzy cocktail!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
Well you know I like pink and fizzy so this is totally my bag. Cin cin!
Helen
In the summer. Hopefully by the lake!
Ren Behan
Such a pretty picture and my kind of drink- post June :-)
Helen
Hopefully worth waiting for Ren!
ManjiriK
Sounds Delicious Helen!
Fiona Maclean
Anything with fizz works for me;) lovely stuff!
Tina @ The Spicy Pear
I love champagne cocktails and this looks and sounds delicious.
Helen
You simply cannot go wrong with a champagne cocktail!
Janie
I love it! (And I also love the should of a kitchen lit from 2 sides!)
Janie x
Urvashi
Oh yes. I am going to love this. worth opening a bottle of champers for this evening. Thanks for sharing!
Vanesther - Bangers & Mash
I have a big bag of sloes in the freezer still. I now know exactly what I’ll be doing with them. Thanks Helen!