'Was rather young' Call the Midwife's Miriam Margolyes on unlikely childhood gift from mum

express.co.uk:

Harry Potter actor Miriam Margolyes has reflected on the unlikely present her mother gave her when she was just 11-years-old.Speaking to Saturday Kitchen drinks expert Olly Smith on his A Glass With podcast, the Call the Midwife star, 80, explained how she first tasted gin when her mother gifted her a bottle at 11 to welcome her into womanhood.While chatting on the podcast, Miriam candidly spoke about the first time she tried gin.She told Olly Smith: "My mother introduced me to gin, it is traditionally known as 'mother's ruin' isn't it."The iconic actor revealed the reason behind the early introduction.She explained: "When I started my periods when I was 11, rather young, mummy thought that it would assist me to get into puberty or whatever it's called, by drinking gin."So she suggested it," Miriam added.The star told how she associates the boozy tipple with her mother, who she "adores".She continued: "It was me being a woman, so I've always loved gin ever since."It makes me think of my mother whom I adored, it doesn't make me think of periods particularly," the star explained.When prompted by the Saturday Kitchen host to share an insight into her upbringing, Miriam told how her family's Jewish faith meant that they didn't often drink."We're Jews and Jews don't drink, really, we eat," she shared.Miriam went on: "Mummy was an eater and I'm an eater, we didn't really have wine at home and I think gin was really the only thing that we had."The actor previously revealed her property-developer mother Ruth had a stroke after Miriam confided in her that she was gay.Shortly after Miriam told her mother about her relationship with a woman, Ruth suffered a severe stroke that left her crippled.Reflecting on the incident, Miriam.