What do you do when you come across a bitter berry? Turn it into booze, of course.
Grown on blackthorn shrubs throughout the British countryside, sloes — small, round, plum-like fruit — date back to the 17th century when their hedgerows were utilized as an inexpensive natural fencing solution. After harvesting, they were steeped in gin and sugar to make “poor man’s port” before gaining popularity.
Today’s tipple — Kiss the Boys Goodbye — dates to the World War II era and is thought to be named after a film starring Mary Martin. Our recipe was inspired by the version recently published byPunch and created by Alex Pisi, bartender at The Wells in Washington, D.C.
If you’ve never tried a sloe gin, you’re in for a treat. Kiss the Boys Goodbye starts with a beautifully balanced base of cognac and gin complemented by a rich layer of foam from simple syrup and egg white. It's supposedly a cold-weather cocktail, but we'd enjoy it in any season.
