Blackberry Shrub – Cocktails, Mocktails and Spa Party Drinks
Toasting your favorite holidays and special events doesn’t have to mean over-indulging, over-imbibing, or over-analyzing. You clean eating program may mean you are abstaining from caffeine, wine and spirits entirely, or, it may mean that on special occasions, you want just a bit of the special stuff to mark the event. Our collection of recipes for lighter cocktails and mocktails are the perfect refreshers to raise a glass with friends and family. This recipe is for a Blackberry Shrub. Making shrubs is a creative way to use up extra fruit — and this type of cocktail usually includes fruit juice, sugar, and other acidic ingredients — usually sweetened vinegar! Sound odd? Think of it as a sweeter, tastier, and drinkable marinade!
Servings: 2 Cups
Calories: 83kcal
Making shrubs is a creative way to use up extra fruit. We were inspired by sampling the house-made shrubs at the award-winning SHED in Healdsburg, California.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups blackberries - fresh crushed, or frozen and crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick - about 3 inches
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- ½ cup water
- Ice cubes
- sparkling water
- fresh blackberries - reserved, whole, for garnish
Instructions
- Place fruit and cinnamon stick in a sterilized pint jar. Bring vinegar just to a boil; pour over fruit, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Center lid on jar; screw on band until fingertip tight. Refrigerate for 1 week.
- Strain vinegar mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another sterilized pint jar. Press solids to extract juice; discard remaining fruit.
- Bring sugar and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Stir into vinegar mixture; shake well. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
- To serve, drink 1-2 tablespoons or add to a glass of ice, top with sparkling water and garnish with fresh blackberries.
Spa Index Kitchen Notes
1 Serving: 2 Tablespoons of Syrup, with carbonated water
Cherry-Lime Shrub: Substitute fresh pitted dark cherries for blackberries and 1 strip lime peel for cinnamon stick.
Peach-RosemaryShrub: Substitute chopped peeled fresh peaches for blackberries and a 2-in. sprig of rosemary for the cinnamon stick.
Blueberry-Lemon Shrub: Substitute fresh blueberries for blackberries and a 1 strip lemon peel for the cinnamon stick.
Strawberry-Basil: Substitute chopped fresh strawberries for blackberries and 4 large basil leaves for the cinnamon stick.
Peach-RosemaryShrub: Substitute chopped peeled fresh peaches for blackberries and a 2-in. sprig of rosemary for the cinnamon stick.
Blueberry-Lemon Shrub: Substitute fresh blueberries for blackberries and a 1 strip lemon peel for the cinnamon stick.
Strawberry-Basil: Substitute chopped fresh strawberries for blackberries and 4 large basil leaves for the cinnamon stick.
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Nutrition
Serving: 2 Tablespoons | Calories: 83 kcal (4%) | Carbohydrates: 20 g (7%) | Sodium: 1 mg | Fiber: 1 g (4%) | Sugar: 20 g (22%)