Sloe Ride

When it comes to specialty drinks, flavored margaritas and martinis seem to be the darlings of event planners and mixologists. So we were surprised when we asked entertaining expert Lulu Powers to divulge one of her secret recipes and she doled out a cocktail with sloe gin as the star. To understand the taste of sloe gin, she explains, one must understand its origins. 

“Sloe gin comes from across the pond in England and has everything to do with ‘sloe berries’—small, wild berries that, when eaten raw, taste nasty,” Lulu shares. “But in all their wisdom, people found a way to turn these tiny berries into something tasty. How? By soaking them in liquor, of course. The berries were soaked in gin along with a touch of sugar. And that’s how sloe gin came to be.”

Unlike straight gin, sloe gin is more like a liqueur. Lulu uses prosecco to add fizz. “I like to use prosecco (although you could use champagne), and I serve over my homemade ice cubes. For these, I cut roses in thin strips with a scissors, and I also add blueberries. And use ‘king’ cube trays to get the big cubes,” she says.

Sloe gin, Lulu tells us, isn’t just for beverages. “Try it poured over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and adorned with fresh berries. Maybe even a little mint on top.”  

Blueberry Sloe Gin Fizz

Pour 3 parts prosecco to 1 part sloe gin over ice. You can also do 2 parts to 2 parts, depending on how sweet you want it. Optional: Add a squeeze of fresh lime. 

Suggested appetizer accompaniments include chunks of Parmesan, good olives and nuts. “I suggest going casual with apps–not a lot of fuss. I love to put salt-and-vinegar chips out too, along with some fun, colorful candy like you see in the photo.”