Herbal Shrubs: Sweet and Sour Fruit Infusions
Shrubs are sweetened fruit vinegars - flavorful concentrates meant to be diluted in any number of beverages and enjoyed as a tart drink. The name for this concoction originates from the Arabic word sharab meaning "to drink." The term shrub can apply both to the concentrate and any beverage it is used in.
There are endless variations on this central theme of sugar, vinegar, and fruit. Feel free to experiment with seasonal fruit and varieties of vinegar and sugar. Just make sure to keep the general proportions. If you don't have strawberries on hand, you can substitute with blueberries or raspberries. Please note that this recipe makes a large batch, so adjust according to your needs.
Ingredients:
8 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
11/2 cups strawberries (or berry of choice)
38 oz white wine vinegar
5 and 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
3 lemons
Herbs: Basil, tarragon, anise hyssop, tulsi (or herb of choice)
Make your lemon sugar: Use a vegetable peeler to remove long swaths of the lemon rind. Place the lemon rind and sugar in a large bowl and bruise the zest with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to release the oils. Mix the zest with the sugar so it is coated evenly. Let sit for one hour.
Mash the berries: Meanwhile, wash the berries and strain. Place the berries into a bowl and mash with the back of a spoon.
Combine the sugar and berries: Remove the zest from the sugar and set the peel aside. In a gallon jar, combine the lemony sugar and mashed berries. Mix evenly and cap. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Add the vinegar to the sugar and berry mix: After the 24 hours, remove the berry and sugar mix from the fridge and add the vinegar. Shake and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Using a funnel, distribute into four 1 quart mason jars.
Infuse your herbs: Pick your fresh herbs, tarragon, rosemary, tulsi, basil, anise hyssop or whatever you have on hand that would pair well and bruise the herbs with the back of a spoon to release their flavors. Place the herb of choice into your jars, making sure it is submerged. Label and cap.
Final Infusion: Place your jar(s) in the fridge and give them a shake now and then. After five days, strain through a cheesecloth or a potato ricer into clean dry jars and refrigerate. It will keep for 6 months to one year in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your shrub with sparkling water (1 part shrub and 3 parts sparkling water) and fresh herbs over ice or you can make an adult beverage with a splash of bitters and a shot of vodka or gin.