I have just discovered the magic that is a shrub. Historically, vinegar was used to preserve fruit for refreshing drinks in the hot summer months. It is basically a preserved fruit syrup to add to cocktails.
So how 'bouts we combine the beauty of summer's bounty (blueberries!) with the power of ginger to make a Gingerberry Shrub?
Ingredients
1 basket of Blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
Combine blueberries and sugar in a jar, and muddle together in a sweet mushy mess. Add in your cup of apple cider vinegar and swirl around to combine with blueberry-sugar mixture.
Grate your ginger into the jar (as much or as little as you please!) and screw the top on. Shake it out to try to dissolve the sugar as much as possible.
Place in the fridge, and try to forget about it for 1-2 weeks. The longer the fruit steeps in the fridge, the more the flavor will improve.
Once you can't stand it anymore, take the jar out of the fridge and strain out all the pulp through a mesh sieve or cheese cloth. Keep your shrub in the fridge to impress with your next cocktail. I personally plan on adding a little vodka and soda water to this bad boy.
Inspired by The Best Remedy and Food in Jars
Why is it called a shrub? That makes me thing it’s a plant! Lovin’ the photos with the new camera.
Can you make this with a sugar substitute or is the sugar necessary?
Hi Jennifer! I’ve always made with sugar, but can understand your desire not to. You could play around with something else (or really ripe fruit which has a high sugar content) or try it with no sugar at all and see how it goes. I would put honey in there, because of the fridge element. Hope that helps!