We are very proud of our handcrafted damson products, with two of them, our Damson Gin and Damson Jam, having recently been highly commended by BBC's Masterchef, John Torode and Celebrity Chef Eric Lanlard and awarded two 1 star Great Taste Awards in 2019.
We are lucky enough to have homegrown damsons on our doorstep here in the Lake District and we love working with them, creating our range of handcrafted damson products including jams, liqueurs and syrups.
We are often asked questions from our customers about the origin of damsons and we have been surprised at how little our customers appear to know about these deliciously fruity gems, so we would, therefore, like to share 10 interesting facts with you all about this stunning fruit.
Some of you will be lucky enough to have damson trees in your gardens or get offered damsons through friends who have them in abundance. Damsons are so versatile and you can create a range of delicious treats including jams, chutneys, crumbles, various puddings, syrups and even try your hand at making your own Damson Gin.
Here are a few recipe ideas for you:
https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/collections/damson-recipes/
We are blessed to be based in Cumbria with a real history of damsons in our area, having been grown on our doorstep in the Lyth Valley for hundreds of years.
We work closely with the Westmorland Damson Society with all our damsons being sourced through them from the Lyth Valley. For more information on the society take a look at their website https://www.lythdamsons.org.uk
If you would like to take a look at our range of award-winning damson products, please visit our website www.lakelandartisan.co.uk where our products can be purchased online or from our shop in Windermere and from suppliers throughout the country.
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What is Spirit?
Traditional pure spirits are made from grains or other plants with the main six pure spirits being gin, vodka, brandy, tequila, rum and whisky, all of which have a high alcohol content of usually over 38% ABV. Spirits are made through distillation by using an alcoholic liquid made using a fermentation process, this liquid is then placed in a still where the alcohol is extracted in a relatively high concentrate, resulting in a pure distilled spirit.
What is a Liqueur?
Today with many of the traditional spirits being flavoured, it has become difficult for many of us to distinguish between liquors and liqueurs. Liquors are used to create liqueurs by adding different flavours to them. The base spirit is blended with sweet based fruit syrups, herbs and spices, coffee, chocolate, cream and even nuts. Sweetness and flavour are key, as these ingredients give the spirit a softer, sweeter flavour and dilute the spirit, therefore, lowering the alcohol content too, generally, between 15 – 30% ABV.
The best top 10 Liqueurs – here is a related article detailing the top 10 liqueurs, there will be some very familiar brands which you will immediately recognise and realise that liqueurs have been around a lot longer than you may have realised. https://theferventshaker.wordpress.com/2013/08/02/the-fervent-shaker-top-10-liqueurs/
How to serve liqueurs?
Liqueurs are great served “on the rocks” or with mixers but are extremely versatile and are very popular these days in cocktails and added to fizz as they add many different taste sensations and flavours.
Our Lakeland Liqueurs are available in gin, rum and vodka ranges and all of them are a great accompaniment to your favourite choice of bubbles by adding a glug to your champagne flute or a great ingredient to use to create a wide range of delicious cocktails.
For great cocktail ideas and details on our Lakeland Liqueur ranges, please visit our website at www.lakelandartisan.co.uk
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