I'd like to know more about Bullace- what is it?

[TonyW]

Here's what I do with the bullaces after I've made bullace vodka. I remove the stones and chop the bullaces in four. I buy some bars of Waitrose Dark Continental Chocolate (though you could buy another sort if you prefer it), and gently melt it. Then I drop in the quartered bullaces and pour the mixture into metal trays to set. The trays that some supermarkets use for prepared meat dishes are good, or you can use suitably heat-resistant plastic trays. The vodka-infused bullaces impart a very nice taste.

I'm sure Dorts is right about the continuum of varieties of fruit from sloe to plum, but for bullaces and damsons perhaps it comes down to what name was in use in the area where one first encountered the fruit. For me, a bullace is a small purple plum that becomes ripe during the second half of September. The tree in our Hampshire garden, originally a sucker from the Chilterns, has lots of fruit on it, and I think they look slightly larger than usual this year.

[Dorts]

I've just noticed that this thread has had 32,620 views!!
Surely that can't be right, almost as many as 'Flower of the Day'. I know it's been a popular topic but 32,620.
Do others get the same reading? Or is my browser up the creek?
Dorts.

[tcvarlh]

Originally Posted by Dorts

I've just noticed that this thread has had 32,620 views!!
Surely that can't be right, almost as many as 'Flower of the Day'. I know it's been a popular topic but 32,620.
Do others get the same reading? Or is my browser up the creek?
Dorts.

My browser gives the same figure, pretty impressive number. Must be an awful lot of people who don't know what a Bullace is. Curiosity and cats I reckon!
h

[nightshade]

Autumn and people are collecting hedge fruits for their Christmas Gin and wine making

[nightshade]

"Plums - Big purple fruit with cooking and eating varieties.
Gages - Smaller than plums, sweet, pale green-pale yellow colour.

Mirabelles - Similar to Gages, the main difference is that they have a much deeper yellow or red colour. The 2 varieties we grow are good for both cooking & eating.

Damsons - Bitter purple fruit, used mostly for making excellent jam.
Bullaces - Really the same as Damsons, the only difference is their lighter skin tone and smaller, more oval shape."
A quote from
Hedging Plants for Sale | 1 Year Guarantee | Ashridge Trees Nursery › Fruit Trees

[Mekali]

Originally Posted by TonyW

Here's what I do with the bullaces after I've made bullace vodka. I remove the stones and chop the bullaces in four. I buy some bars of Waitrose Dark Continental Chocolate (though you could buy another sort if you prefer it), and gently melt it. Then I drop in the quartered bullaces and pour the mixture into metal trays to set. The trays that some supermarkets use for prepared meat dishes are good, or you can use suitably heat-resistant plastic trays. The vodka-infused bullaces impart a very nice taste.

I'm sure Dorts is right about the continuum of varieties of fruit from sloe to plum, but for bullaces and damsons perhaps it comes down to what name was in use in the area where one first encountered the fruit. For me, a bullace is a small purple plum that becomes ripe during the second half of September. The tree in our Hampshire garden, originally a sucker from the Chilterns, has lots of fruit on it, and I think they look slightly larger than usual this year.

Thanks for the chocolate idea; mmmm yum yum. Certainly something I'll try with both the bullaces and damsons I have in the gin this year, shame the sloes are a bit too small and stony for the same treatment; as for Gin or Vodka I use whatever I find on special offer. The cheaper the better since the fruit overwhelms any subtlety in the spirit. One year I managed to bring back some Eau Spiriteuse (or similar name) from a French holiday. It was really cheap and made perfectly acceptable "Eau Sloe".

[nightshade]

I must pick bigger sloes, I modified an olive stoner and that works very well.

[odonata]

Wow, just checked back in to look up another subject and discovered the discussion on Bullace! I will start reading the posts and get making my bullace jam/gin/vodka and chocolates.
Thanks.
Oh and I have since moved house and have a Bullace of my own in the back garden. (I think!).