Blackberry gin

Tip all the ingredients into a 1.5-litre sterilised flip-top jar (see above). Gently stir with a large metal spoon, taking care not to break up the blackberries, then seal and leave to steep for two weeks, shaking the jar every other day to loosen the sugar at the base. When ready, you should have a deeply purple gin.

Put a sieve over a large, clean jug or bowl. Strain the gin through the sieve and set the blackberries aside (don’t waste these, though – poke them into the top of a frangipane tart, roast with venison or use as a garnish for your favourite winter cocktail). Put a muslin cloth in the sieve and strain the gin again into a clean jug, then pour into a 700ml sterilised bottle or divide between three smaller bottles. Add a bay leaf to each bottle, seal and store for up to a year.