Homemade Shrubs
The no-cook shrub making method takes just a minute to throw together, but you do need a few days for proper maceration (infusion of fruit), so plan your beverages accordingly. Make one shrub, or try them all and serve as part of a make-your-own soda bar.
Ingredients
- Peach Sage Shrub
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup peaches, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 cup white balsamic vinegar
- Cherry Thyme Shrub
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half and scraped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sweet cherries, pits and stems removed
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- Basil Rhubarb Shrub
- 2 tablespoons basil, ripped into small pieces
- 10 whole green cardamom pods
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Preparation
- For each of the shrubs, with the back of a wooden spoon, mash the herbs into the sugar. (For vanilla bean, include all scraped seeds also.) Add fruit and mix well. Add vinegar and stir gently. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Strain the mix through a fine strainer, pressing on the fruit to extract all liquid. (Don’t throw out that leftover fruit and herb mash! It makes the world’s best ice cream topping.)
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Shrubs will mellow a bit over time, so if the flavor is too sharp at this point, wait a few days and taste it again. You can also add 1 teaspoon or so of sugar if you’d like.
- To serve, top 1 ounce of the shrub with 8 ounces seltzer or club soda. Add more shrub to taste, if desired. Garnish with fresh herbs. These shrubs also make marvelous cocktail mixers! A quarter to half of an ounce of shrub with your favorite spirit and a splash of soda or tonic over ice makes a great party beverage.
Emily Landsman
