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Berry Shrubs + A Cocktail #SundaySupper


As the end of summer approaches, gardens overflow with tomatoes and zucchini and berry bush boughs are overloaded with sweet fruit. This week's Sunday Supper Movement event is all about preserving the summer harvest to keep a taste of summer going all year long! Sue Lau of A Palatable Pastime is hosting. Thanks, Sue.

How to Harvest Summer Recipes
Condiments
Main dishes
Sides
Snacks
Dessert
Beverage

Cold-Process Fruit Shrub

I was introduced to shrubs when I met Lauren DeVine while working on my piece Commonwealth Wednesday Debut in Carmel, that was published on the Edible Monterey Bay blog in October of 2014.

What are shrubs? Shrubs are essentially fruit preserved with sugar and vinegar. They add a certain je ne sais quo to your cocktails and can be mixed with sparkling water for a refreshing homemade soda. You can make shrubs through a cooked process or a cold process; I do the latter.

This can be done with any fruit. And the more ripe, the better. This is a great way to preserve the fruit flavor even if the fruit itself is too far gone to really enjoy. Just don't use any fruit with mold, okay? As I think this is a great way to bottle up the taste of a season, I used some late summer strawberries from our CSA farm and some blueberries from the farmers' market.


Ingredients
  • 1 C fruit, cubed
  • 1/3 C organic granulated sugar
  • 3/4 C vinegar

Procedure
Put the fruit and sugar in a pint-size mason jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake around to coat the fruit completely with sugar. Place the jar in the fridge and allow to macerate, at least, overnight; I usually leave it for a day or two.

Add the vinegar to the jar and agitate with a wooden spoon or chopstick to dissolve most of the sugar. Return it to the fridge for three to five to allow the flavors to develop.

After three to five days, strain the fruit out of the jar and transfer the flavored vinegar to a clean bottle. Shrubs should be refrigerated, but will last for several months. Unless, like us, you drink it all within a week!

For a non-alcoholic libation, fill a pint glass with ice. Add 2 T shrub to the glass and top with sparkling water. Stir to incorporate, add a cute straw and enjoy! Now for the grown-ups, here's one of my favorite things to do with a berry shrub...

Smashed Berry Shrub Bourbon Cocktail

Ingredients
  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 1/2 ounce smashed berry shrub
  • 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
  • 2 dashes of bitters
  • 2 ounces sparkling water
  • organic flower for garnish


Procedure
Add bourbon, shrub, citrus juice and bitters to a shaker filled with ice and give it a good shake.


Strain beverage into the glass. Add ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a flower. Cheers!

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest boardWould you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Comments

  1. I love fruit and vinegar so it is about time I try making a shrub. Plus, you make it seem so easy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This cocktail sounds really delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I need to try making and using shrubs soon.

    ReplyDelete

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