A Perfect Balance

Tangy, sweet, a little spring zing

Photo by Dennis Becker; recipe/styling by LGS

What’s old is new again. A vintage style of drink once considered a tonic—a safe way to preserve a bounty of fruit or to refresh on hot summer days—drinking vinegars have made a comeback in a big way. Whether you call them shrubs (the name is derived from the Arabic sharbah, which loosely translate to “a drink”), squash, switchels, or infusions, they’re basically non-alcoholic, fermented syrups made from lushly ripe (or imperfect) fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Fresh herbs or other aromatics, like ginger root, citrus zest, or whole spices, can add complexity. Steeping these mixtures for several days allows the flavors to bloom, creating balanced sweet-sour mixers that are as well suited to an icy pour of sparkling water as to a splash of rum. And creative bartenders are reaching beyond bitters to fermented shrubs to rev up cocktails. A fanciful Margarita, boosted by a luscious sweet and sour blackberry-lime syrup and rimmed with a lime-spiked herb salt, will brighten any patio party.

The methods for making shrubs can vary, depending on the fruit or other ingredients. My favorite way is the least complicated, which works beautifully with berries: a cold brew mix of equal parts fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Muddle (I bought a cool wood muddler online—it’s pretty big but works well for crushing up lots of things) or lightly mash the fruit first with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher in a large bowl, then transfer it to a large glass canning jar. Mix in the sugar and pour the vinegar over it all, then tightly seal the jar and give it a good shake. The sludgy-looking mix can be strained within 24 hours, but I like to refrigerate it for up to four days. I’ll swish the jar around a bit whenever I open the fridge. Once the solids are strained out, the resulting thickened sweet-tart syrup is like liquid gold.

For some ingredients, like when adding whole spices or dried herbals or flower petals to ripe fruit, a hot process works well to gently coax out the most flavor. Basically, it’s all about simmering the ingredients in water and sugar to make a simple syrup, that’s then mixed with vinegar. A few days more of patiently waiting for the hydrated ingredients to fully infuse their taste and color, then straining well, results in an intensely concentrated syrup. And some like to mix the fruit and sugar with boiling vinegar, pouring it all into a sterilized container for further fermenting–safely—at room temperature. But all in all, the cold process is the simplest, with a guarantee of creating delicious syrups with little effort.

We’re heading into the heart of fruit season—first strawberries, then stonefruit will appear (I love black plums & apricots.) As cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries become abundant, transforming bruised or way too much (I dare you to not to overload at a pick-ur-own field) into bev syrups you can stash in the fridge. I was in Arizona a week ago, where orange trees are blossoming & heavy with fruit—I made it home with a bag of juicy oranges. Perfect for making a sweet-tart syrup for making novel cocktails. No matter the timing, play with what you can buy at a farmers’ market or grow/harvest yourself. Tweak the ratio of sweet + tart to your personal taste. The world of sweeteners and vinegars is vast; don’t limit yourself to plain sugar and cider vinegar. The versatility and stability of shrub syrups—the acidity of vinegar allows them to be made well ahead of serving—makes them the perfect off-the-shelf drink mixer.

Try these bracing elixirs…

· Strawberries + granulated sugar + red wine vinegar, with a splash of white or rosé balsamic vinegar;

· Nectarines + turbinado sugar + white wine vinegar, with sprigs of fresh tarragon;

· Pears + maple syrup + cider vinegar, with slices of fresh ginger and cardamom pods;

· Grapes or chopped pineapple (try roasting them first) + granulated sugar + white wine vinegar, with a splash of white balsamic vinegar and a few sprigs of fresh thyme;

· Blood oranges or tangerines + coconut sugar + coconut vinegar, with a few star anise.

Versatile ways with shrubs…

· Use the macerated (marinated) fruit that you sieve out in smoothies or to make tangy salsas to serve alongside grilled or roasted poultry.

· Marinate fish or shrimp in a splash of shrub syrup for about 30 minutes before cooking.

· Heat up 1 cup of a shrub syrup, swirling it at a low boil until reduced by half. Use it as a glaze on grilled meats or seafood—or roasted root vegetables or autumn fruits.

· Whisk 1/3 cup shrub syrup with ½ cup olive oil, tossing in a small spoonful of finely chopped shallot and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper for a complex salad vinaigrette.

Photo by Dennis Becker; recipe/styling by LGS

BLUE & BLACK BERRY GINGER SHRUBS

Makes about 2-3/4 cups syrup

Feel free to play with the ratio of berries, depending on what is ultra-ripe and available. Late harvest fruit is especially flavorful. I’ve even subbed in the last of the plums from my front yard tree, pitting and chopping them up to stir in with a handful of berries.

INGREDIENTS

1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1-1/2 cups organic cane sugar

2 cups unfiltered apple cider vinegar

¼ cup coarsely grated fresh ginger

2 sprigs fresh lemon verbena or a few pieces of bruised lemongrass, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Place berries in a glass bowl or large canning jar. Crush the berries with the back of a wooden spoon, muddler, or potato masher until they’re nice and pulpy.

2. Pour in sugar and vinegar; stir in ginger and mix well. Add the sprigs of herb if using.

3. Cover the bowl or seal the jar tightly. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.

4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bottle or jar.

5. Store the syrup in the fridge for up to 1 month. Serve a small amount over ice, topped with sparkling water, or use in cocktails.

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RASPBERRY HIBISCUS SPARKLERS

Makes about 3 cups syrup

Look for the hisbiscus petals in a Latin grocery store, where they’re labeled flor de Jamaica. They impart a deep crimson hue and floral essence that melds nicely with the fresh raspberries.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups water

1 cup dried hibiscus petals

1 pint (2 cups) fresh raspberries

1 cup honey or agave syrup

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 sprigs fresh Thai basil or lavender sprigs, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the hibiscus petals; remove from heat and allow the petals to steep for 30 minutes.

2. Strain the liquid into a large jar (discard the flower petals).

3. Add the berries, honey, vinegar, and lemon zest. Lightly mash the berries with a wooden spoon or muddler. Add the herb if using.

4. Seal the jar; refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.

5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar. Refrigerate the syrup for up to 1 month. Serve a small amount over ice with sparkling water with additional berries and herb sprigs.

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SPICY MELON-MINT SHRUB

Makes about 2-1/2 cups syrup

Add thin slices of fresh Fresno or jalapeño chile to each glass to bump up the heat. Nectarines, peaches, or mango could be great twists if you’re without a ripe melon.

INGREDIENTS

2-1/2 cups cubed ripe cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon*

1-1/2 cups honey or coconut sugar

2 cups white wine vinegar

3 large fresh mint sprigs

6 black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

1. Place melon in a large glass bowl or canning jar. Crush melon with the back of a wooden spoon, muddler, or potato masher.

2. Stir in honey and vinegar; stir well. Add mint, peppercorns, and pepper flakes.

3. Cover or seal tightly; refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days, stirring (or shaking, if in a jar) occasionally.

4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar. Refrigerate the syrup for up to 1 month. Serve a small amount over ice with sparkling water.

*Cook’s Note: To more quickly develop the flavors, purée the fruit in a blender. Then mix with the remainder of the ingredients.

Printable Shrub Recipes

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