A Traditional Healthy Easy Cocktail Or Mocktail Recipe
Ever Heard of One Of These So-Called Shrubs? Let me give you the definition.
Ahem...
”A shrub is a non-alcoholic syrup made of a combination of concentrated fruit, aromatics, sugar & vinegar.”
Basic right? Fruit, herbs, sugar (honey or agave) and vinegar; all things you probably have on hand.
This wonderful concoction has been around for centuries and was extremely popular before refridgeration was invented. Preserved, the mixture would slowly ferment and be used in spirits to bring back the flavors of past seasons. Aside from its popularity in history, one should know there are huge health benefits sipping on a shrub. Drinking just a tsp a day of apple cider vinegar can lower blood sugar levels, help people loose weight, reduces belly fat, lowers blood pressure and even lowers cholesterol!
Now before you make that sour face, like there is NO way you would even entertain the thought of a drink with vinegar, let me share my experience, as I doubted it too. Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of “healthy” detox drinks. You know the ones that are generally green, bitter or naturally carbonated. I am a simple girl, I like coffee, tea, water & wine and usually in that order. Years back, I worked at a place that was very big on making kombucha (Hi to The Ecology Center) and I seriously do not know how anyone can drink that stuff as there is a live organism growing right before your eyes in there. Also, I hate the smell and taste of apple cider vinegar in anything. Some people can drink it straight! BLAH! YUCK! However, the vinegar taste in a shrub is like a little fizz/tang afterthought. It just adds a little zing at the end. In fact, if you were to make up one of these cocktails for someone not familiar with a shrub, I would guess they could not breakdown the ingredients or believe it was vinegar based. Scouts honor!
So it seems there is no exact way to make these. Just as everyone seems to have their own take on “how to grill,” everyone seems to have their own take on making shrubs. Some people cook theirs down, others make them quick and some let them sit for weeks before straining. I happen to be in favor of the quick version. I will be honest, they usually don’t last very long in my house, hence, the quicker I can make it, the quicker we get to enjoy. The nice thing about shrubs is there are endless possibilities on flavors. In fact, I have yet to meet a shrub flavor I didn’t like.
In terms of how I use my shrub mix, I usually add it to soda water along with a slice of citrus during the day but during cocktail hour, this elixir gets mixed in with a little vodka, soda water and garnish of course. Ooh, one more, sparkling wine is good with it too!
Just to name a few, here are ones I have made:
Strawberry Basil & Orange
Blackberry Sage & Lime
Mango Mint & Orange
Raspberry/ Strawberry/ Blueberry & Rosemary
Sold! So how do you make it Sarah?
Ok, before you watch, there are 3 tricks I believe to making the BEST shrub.
Trick number 1#: Use fruit, just at, or even a bit past its prime. In short, you want to pull all of that extra juicy sweet goodness out.
Trick #2: Try different recipes and measurements to get it just right for you. As mentioned before, everyone makes these differently, thus, you really can’t go wrong.
Trick #3: Store it in the fridge. My way is NOT intended to sit on the counter or cellar but rather in your fridge during the waiting game & after.
For more Ideas, check out my Shrub Board on Pinterest. I have saved a million!
So easy right? I suppose by now you have given some thought to what fruit you have in your kitchen. Perhaps a pomegranate and a lime? Maybe a pear, sage and kumquats? Yum! I hope I have inspired you to give it a try. I would love to know how it goes!
All the best,
Sarah
