Amber Bloom Recipe
navel orange-pomegranate shrub, saffron, ginger, lemon, honey, soda
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Shrub (makes about 1 1/2 cups)
Cocktail (per 1 serving)
Method
Shrub (make ahead — yields about 1 1/2 cups)
Infuse saffron
Place saffron threads in a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon warm water. Let steep 10 minutes to unlock color and aroma.
Combine juices and aromatics
In a non-reactive jar or bowl, combine the navel orange juice, pomegranate juice, grated ginger, and the saffron infusion (including threads). Stir to distribute the saffron and ginger evenly.
Sweeten and acidify
Add the honey and apple cider vinegar to the juice mixture. Whisk or shake vigorously until the honey is fully dissolved. Taste: it should be bright, tart-sweet, and slightly gingery. Adjust honey or vinegar by up to 1 tablespoon if needed.
Strain and store
After resting, strain the shrub through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bottle, pressing gently to extract liquid but leaving pulp and ginger behind. Discard solids. Chill the finished shrub; it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Assembly (per serving)
Fill a rocks or highball glass with ice to chill.
Measure 3 tablespoons (about 45 ml) of the chilled amber shrub into the glass.
Add 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger to the shrub. Stir briskly to combine — this brightens the shrub and lifts the ginger aroma.
Top with about 4 ounces (120 ml) chilled soda water. Stir gently once to integrate.
Garnish with an orange wheel on the rim and a few pomegranate arils dropped into the drink. Optionally pinch a small saffron thread on top for aroma.