Almost Off Grid Blog - Brew, Make, Forage, Grow.

As I write this, I can still see sparkly crystals on the plants outside from the overnight frost, and my feet are cold. So it is hard to imagine th...

Elderberry Syrup is a well known natural remedy believed to boost the immune system and speed up recovery from coughs, colds and sore throats. As with a lot of these recipes rooted in folklore, there are many ways to make it. Here is my homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe with added fresh turmeric, ginger and raw honey.

As I write this, it's autumn with fungi bursting out all over. Whilst I don't claim to be an expert (or any good at all really) at identifying mushrooms, there are a few that we know well and are happy to identify and harvest. Two of those are widely regarded as medicinal mushrooms: turkey tail and birch polypore.

A few years ago I wrote about How to Make Your Own Sloe Gin. We are often asked about Making Sloe Gin with Dried Sloes in place of fresh ones, and this is how you do that. 

Making your own cheese at home is one of life's pleasures. These basic, soft cheeses are simple to make and it's rewarding to make them yourself using fresh, natural ingredients. Homemade Creamy Ricotta Cheese is one of the simplest of all. Step-by-step video included.

If you've never tried Hawthorn Ketchup before, it has an unusual, sweet and sour-like taste. It is fairly runny, so you can bottle it as an alternative to putting it in a jar. Lovely with sausages, cold meats and cheese, simple to make. Once you've tasted it, you have to make it every year!

This homemade Swiss Chocolate Almond Liqueur is a winner. Gorgeous for Christmas yet perfect as a year-round treat, it is very simple to make.  If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you'll know I make a range of homemade liqueurs, some from scratch and some using Top Shelf Essences by Still Spirits.

This hazelnut liqueur is lovely. It is very simple to make using Top Shelf Almond Liqueur Essence, a base and vodka.

Andy makes this liqueur every Christmas, and sometimes in the months in-between - it is that good! Lovely on it's own, over ice or in coffee. 

With Christmas rapidly approaching, we have started making the lovely little side dishes that, for us, make Christmas so special. Not least of all because we don't have them at any other time of year. One such thing we make is Clementine and Brandy Butter.

I have told you before how wonderful homemade Irish Cream Liqueur is, and shared my favourite Irish Cream Recipe. To make it, you need Irish Whiskey. We make ours using a Whiskey-like drink made with Top Shelf Shamrock Whiskey Flavouring.

Every autumn when we see acorns on the ground, we talk about what we could do with them. Acorn coffee is discussed every year, but usually doesn't ...

We love Halloumi all year round, especially grilled on the bbq. Andy makes ours now because it is so easy to make. Here he shares how to make homemade Halloumi Cheese, and there's also a tutorial video where he grills it on the bbq.