*sigh*

Peppered Cherry & Ginger Shrub

• 4 cups pitted cherry mixture (part sour and sweet…fresh or frozen…. your choice)
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 thick strips of orange rind
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2inch block of fresh ginger cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup of raw ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar)

Instructions:

1. Place first 6 ingredients into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir frequently to avoid sugar burn.
2. Keeping a close eye, bring to boil for 8-10 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid boil over.
3. Remove from heat and let cool to room temp completely
4. Place into LARGE jar (I am using a 1/2 gallon mason jar as just the solids and their liquid fill a quart jar, leaving no room for adding the vinegar.)
5. Add vinegar, seal (there should be a good amount of head room otherwise your jar is too small) and give a goooooood shake to incorporate.
6. Place in fridge for 3 days, shaking each day.
7. Once ‘aged’, strain through fine mesh sieve into bottle. (Swing top bottle, wide mouth woozy bottle, or even a simple mason jar that you can seal) and store in fridge for up to 6 months.

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YES. Things are crazy currently in the US. Many folks take January off of drinking adult beverages… in a noble effort to reign it in after several jolly months of holiday decadence.

*raises hand* I decided I would do it this year.

Aaaaand re-thought that decision HEAVILY after January 6th, 1:45pm.

One thing that I looked forward to, however, was making a few different shrubs to take me through the month. … so I pushed on. A shrub, in beverage terms, is basically a drinking vinegar. It is like a fruited or herbaceous concoction that is absolutely delicious when added to a basic seltzer. Using raw ACV also adds some great probiotics to the mix, so .. yeah: healthy, non-alcoholic elixir to keep me in the kitchen and ALSO can be utilized as a mixer for adult bevvies come February?

Sign me up.

This is the first one I created this season. The best part of shrubs, is that you get to really experiment with favor profiles. Look forward to a few more new versions this winter!

Tools I used for this recipe worth noting:

Wide Mouth Woozy Bottles I typically use Woozy bottles for sauces, but they are also a great option for a shrub. They come in a variety of sizes and also are a great option if you plan on gifting. This year we actually got some homemade Bailey’s from our favorite restaurant in a short wide mouthed woozy and I fell in love with the idea of using them for the homemade Irish Cream I make…

Swing Top Bottles I love these and use them for shrubs personally. Having a few different shrubs going and needing to be refrigerated, I find these bottles are easier to get into the fridge and take up less shelf or door space than the woozy bottles (squared off sides.) A bit more expensive, these are also nice for giving as a gift (if you gift homemade items…)

Half Gallon Mason Jars These are generally easy to find in your local big box store, but if you are avoiding heading out, here’s a quick link. I use these for LOTS of things (including preserving cucumbers the best way ever – PICKLES) so if you are like me, they should get use for multiple things throughout the seasons…

Two recipe posts on a Friday… both with vinegar.

Huh. Guess this week just made me a bit tart.