Fruit Shrub - the best drink you've never heard of

It's official. I've declared my delicious and easy fruit shrub recipe to be The Drink of 2012. And once you've tried this recipe, you'll see why. If you don't know (and you almost surely don't), the word shrub derives from the Arabic word for drink (so does the word sherbet). Shrub is basically a sweet-and-sour fruit syrup that you mix with water or seltzer to create a refreshing drink. You can also add vodka or rum if you're trying to get someone liquored up.  The drink's tartness really masks the taste of any alcohol (but you ain’t heard that from me).

My Instant Fruit Shrub recipe is cheap and incredibly easy to make. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry. And considering the health benefits of drinking vinegar, it's much better for you than most other sweetened drinks. The traditional method requires macerating fruit in vinegar for 24 hours or more, but I've simplified the recipe. My version goes from pantry to glass in less than ten minutes. You can use any kind of jam, jelly or preserves, but if you don't want pulp in your drink, use clear jelly or you can filter the finished syrup through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.  Any kind of vinegar works too, so go crazy.  Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

 

Instant Black Raspberry Shrub (microwave method)

Ingredients
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup black raspberry jelly

In a microwave-safe, glass or ceramic bowl (DO NOT USE PLASTIC!), combine the ingredients and whisk thoroughly.  Cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave on high for about 8 minutes or until the mixture reaches a syrup-like consistency.  Remove from heat.

**Add about 2 tbsp of the shrub syrup to a glass of water or seltzer. Stir, and enjoy.** 

 

tip: Dip a spoon into the syrup to see how thick it is. Your shrub syrup is ready when it coats a spoon. Keep cooking until it reaches the desired consistency.

 

Instant Ginger Shrub (stovetop method)

Ingredients
¾ cup white vinegar
½ cup sugar
¼ cup fresh ginger – sliced (no need to peel it first)

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and strain.

**Add about 2 tbsp of syrup to a glass of water or seltzer. Stir, and enjoy.** 

 

As a half-joke, I made some green olive shrub the other day. To my surprise, it was actually delicious and refreshing. Sweet, salty, and sour - very interesting. This is a FANTASTIC and surprising party drink if you make it with vodka instead of water.

Instant Olive Shrub (stovetop method)

Ingredients
¾ cup white vinegar
½ cup sugar
¼ cup sliced olives (any kind)
a few dried, hot peppers (definitely optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.

**Add about 2 tbsp of syrup to a glass of water or seltzer. Stir, and enjoy.** 

 

If you can get your hands on some guava paste, that makes a TERRIFIC shrub. And this is a great way to get rid of over-ripe bananas. Experiment! Try different vinegars and different jellies/jams. I’ve tried making this at least a hundred different ways, and I’ve loved them all.