Slush gives a summery twist to fruity cider

THE Strongbow Dark Fruit phenomenon may have passed by craft ale and organic cocktail lovers, but the sweet alcoholic drink is a huge hit with those who like their cider with a summery flavour.

And on Saturday, July 7 a venue in Cardiff is dedicating a whole day to the drink.

The Depot is serving Dark Fruit slushes and Dark Fruit ice cream on a day of fun in the sun, which will include apple bobbing, live Country and Western music – and lots of cider. The celebrations kick off at noon. Tickets cost £5 and are available from depot.eventcube.io/ events/12027/the-dark-fruitfestival

The festival comes just in time, as Wales is in the grip of a heatwave and everyone knows slushes and ice cream are the only answer to the searing temperatures.

The Depot isn’t unique in serving this ingenious combination of ice and Dark Fruit – a shop in Carmarthen is also quenching the thirst of over-18s with slushes made from the fruity Strongbow.

Wayne Phillips and Daniel Sturrock, owners of Cynwyl Elfed shop and post office, had emptied their slush machine after a busy day at a school sports event.

They had been thinking about trying an alcoholic slush for some time, and decided to give it a go by pouring some cans of Strongbow Dark Fruit into the machine and letting it freeze.

The pair planned to trial the flavour to see if it worked, but weren’t expecting the response they got online. A video on their Facebook page became an internet sensation, attracting more than 3,000 comments and 367,000 views.

People are driving from as far as Merthyr Tydfil just to sample their £2 slush. We hope they have a designated driver...