Syrups & Shrubs & Ferments
Fruit Shrub
about 2 cups • 10 min prep • 24 hr macerate
Fruit, sugar, vinegar. Good mixed with sparkling water, good in cocktails. The berry version is the easy entry point; the roasted peach one is worth the extra effort.
Ingredients
4 itemsMethod
5 stepsCombine the frozen berries and sugar in a large bowl or container. Leave at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours. The berries will thaw and release their juice as the sugar dissolves into a thick syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the vinegar and thyme sprigs in a separate jar. Let them infuse alongside the berries.
After 24 hours, pour the herb-infused vinegar over the berry mixture and stir to combine.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing the berries firmly to extract all the juice.
Bottle and refrigerate. Keeps for several months.
Notes
For the roasted peach version: halve and roast a batch of peaches (throw a few halved lemons in the pan too). Weigh the roasted fruit, then blend and strain. Add sugar at half the fruit weight (demerara is best here) and apple cider vinegar at 1 cup per 500g. Rest a day, then bottle.
On the vinegar: cane and red wine is what I use, but red wine alone is excellent. Red wine and white balsamic also works well with berries. Champagne vinegar is lighter and more floral if you want to go that direction.