Any-Berry Shrub

Name: Any-Berry Shrub
Yield: Makes about 20
Ingredients: 12 oz. berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries), sliced or quartered if large; 1½ cups (or more) granulated sugar; 1 cup (or more) vinegar (such as red wine, white wine, apple cider, white balsamic, or unseasoned rice); Club soda (for serving); Fresh berries and/or herb sprigs (for serving; optional); A 1-qt. glass jar with a lid; Cheesecloth (optional)

By Christina Chaey

May 25, 2021

Photo by Julian Cousins, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

There’s no summer beverage more refreshing than a puckering fruit shrub mixed with club soda over ice. There are many ways to make a shrub, but we prefer the cold-process method in which ripe berries and sugar macerate for a day until they turn into a flavorful syrup. Once you strain the fruit syrup into your jar, you can add all kinds of additional flavors to infuse your final shrub. A few to try: a 2"-piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; a small bunch of basil or mint leaves, clapped to release aromas; a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme; or a 3"-piece of lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, smashed. Mix the resulting fruity-sweet vinegar with club soda (and maybe tequila or gin, no one’s stopping you!) and you’ve got the makings of an instant party drink. You can drink the shrub right away, but it will taste even better after a week or so when the flavors have mellowed.

Recipe notes

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Sea Breeze

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