I hardly drink any alcohol. Why? Because I don’t really like beer and only expensive wine and that doesn’t leave me with much opportunity to drink. I can’t always opt for the cocktail or spirit. It gives the wrong impression. (“Yes, please could you serve some gin with my chicken breast salad? Thank you.”)
So when I check the menu at restaurants I always check if they have a fancy – preferable homemade – drink and I totally judge a place upon if they have. So one Spring night when I was on a dinner at Heuer in Vienna with a good colleague of mine, I read about shrubs on a menu. Homemade shrubs to be precise. Let me tell you: soooo good.
It took me a while to actually research recipes and make my own but this is it, guys. Blackberry shrub is my new favorite summer drink and you know I’m an expert on this topic.
Ingredients
- 140 g blackberries
- 140 g sugar
- 50 ml apple vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanille sugar
Instructions
- Put the blackberries with the sugar in a bowl and set aside over night.
- Take a cotton cloth and sieve through the blackberries. Make sure to squeeze them tightly to get all the liquid out.
- Add the vinegar and Vanille sugar
- Season to taste – which means add more or less vinegar – it should taste a little tart and refreshing.
- That'`s it! That's all you need to do for a blackberry shrub!
You can use any other summer fruit as well like apricots or raspberries.
As I did some research I found out that the word shrub is arabic and means syrup. It’s been used to preserve fruits for centuries (don’t quote me on that – I just mean a long time). The secret ingredient is vinegar which in earlier years was the result of a long fermenting process which we cut short by just adding vinegar. It gives a slightly tart and refreshing taste.
If you ever need fake blood for your budget-splatter-movie – just use the blackberry juice that you pressed through the cotton cloth. I’d have scared my boyfriend to death if he weren’t so suspicious about my facial expression in combination with the amount of “blood”. I might need to work on my performance but I’m excepting offers as an actress from now on.
What’s your favorite summer drink? Did you ever try shrubs?
Now. Carry on!
