General Chat

haven't you sobered up yet?

:-D :-D

I hope you saved some for NYE

Err what day is it? ;-)

a triple tipple...... keeps you hearty, chesty & healthy?

:-) :-) :-)

Told you it was good!!...keep it going in the New Year.

Nice with Brandy too.

My old gran used to say....whiskey for the heart....brandy for the stomach...and rum for the chest....
Don't know if this is an old wives tale...but who cares??? :-S

:-D Mayfield

You're having a verrrrrrrry merrrrrrrrry Christmas!!

Cheers :-D

Hi UzzilnSunshine,

Sorry best I can do is raise a glass of it to you I'm afraid ;-)

Certainly well worth making, I used Captain Morgan's rum in the end and it worked fine.

Cheers! :-D

Mayfield I missed this when you 1st posted and that is a shame as I would have asked for one for my June birthday and been joining you today ;-) Enjoy :-D

Tried it today OMG it's nectar! Tasted just like a fruit syrup but is almost neat rum, you could drink a pint without any trouble, well that is until it hit you a few minutes later and then you "might" remember Boxing day! ;-) ;-) ;-)
Cheers and a Merry Christmas to all :-D

I used to make this years ago, start off with strawberries, cover with sugar, didn't measure it as recipe made it too sweet, then covered with brandy. I covered the liquid with a clingfilm covered disc of plastic, this was removed when the next batch of fruit went in, and repeated until full.
the fruit is also nice to eat with ice cream at christmas. Not too much though as it is a highly alcoholic desert.

Thanks for the replies folks.
I was to start it tonight with a bottle of Tesco's rum thinking why put the good stuff in, but several sites have stressed using a good quality one and I see my Mount Gay is 40% checking even Captain Morgans is 40% too, while the one I bought from Tesco is only 37%, and it tastes like cheap booze (or lighter fuel) too!
Oh well guess I will just have to add loads of coke and finish it up, after the first couple it will likely taste better ;-)

Cheers, hash a nice day hic! :-D

Hubby made one two years, started it off in the summer and yes, we did resist until New Years eve. Only a small serving was needed as it was so potent, we both found it far to sickly sweet for our liking, however my sister loved it. Have now given the Rumptof pot to her, wont be making it again.

Had one n the eighties
We lived in Spain and used whatever fruit was in season.
Just put the fruit in,covered with sugar and rum,cover with cling film and lid and leave till next fresh fruit comes in.
I wouldn't use frozen fruit,the idea is to preserve fresh fruit.
I believe you shouldn't use banana,but we used apricots,peaches ,plums,grapes.
Loquats,...each time adding a covering of sugar and rum..!just one at a time,and forget it then.
Delicious and very potent....enjoy!...you can use any other distilled liquor to your preference.... :-S

The old style really dried up apricots were wonderful for recipes. Now I can only find the plump "Turkish" ones.

Brandied Apricots ~

500gr dried apricots
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup brandy

Dissolve sugar in the water, add the apricots & bring slowly to simmering. Cook gently 5 minutes. Pour into container & add brandy & cover tightly. Leave at least 24 hours. If keeping long term, make sure fruit is covered with liquid, and the container is tightly sealed. I put cling film on top of the jar before adding the screw top.

I keep adding to the jar, so the liquid is now thick & syrupy.

:-)

Looks very much like making sloe gin which I do in one of those big jars that Lidl gherkins come in.

I think you have to remember the origins of these things. The idea was to preserve what you had in as palatable a way as possible so you take what you can get hold of and stick it in your pot.

I might have a go at the dried apricots which reminds me that there is a bottle of wild apricots in brandy in the cupboard from one of Fred's foraging trips.

Hi Mayfield

I was given a Rumtopf when we lived in Germany. Wonderful things!

You can use brandy if you don't like rum.... any spirit.

I learned the hard way to cover it with cling film before putting on the lid! Pesky fruit flies got into it.

I wouldn't use frozen fruit, it might go mushy.

I also do dried apricots in brandy, but I keep them in a screw-top jar.

:-D

Hi, I got one for Christmas and will start it off today with some strawberrys and maybe some currants from the freezer. I have had a look at some recipes they seem fairly vague some say 1lb fruit to 1lb sugar first, then 1 lb to 1/2lb later additions I guess as long as the lot is covered in rum it ain't going too far wrong. ;-)
Has anyone done this and any tips please? Is frozen fruit OK?

Oh and how many managed to keep it till Christmas before eating it? :-D