Seasonal Shrub Recipe

Prepare fruit and sugar

Place 2 cups of prepared seasonal fruit in a clean nonreactive bowl or jar. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Muddle or press the fruit and sugar together with a muddler or wooden spoon until the fruit releases juices and the sugar begins to dissolve (about 2–4 minutes). If using whole spices, add them now.

Macerate

Cover the bowl or jar and let the fruit-sugar mixture macerate at room temperature for 2–6 hours, or refrigerate overnight for a deeper extraction. Stir or shake the jar once or twice during this time to help dissolve sugar and draw out juice.

Add vinegar

After maceration, transfer the fruit and any collected syrup to a clean jar. Pour 1 cup apple cider vinegar over the fruit, then add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Seal the jar and shake gently to combine. Taste for balance: you should sense bright acidity that will mellow as it rests.

Infuse and rest

Store the sealed jar in the refrigerator for 3–7 days to allow the vinegar to extract fruit flavor. Shake the jar once daily to redistribute solids. If you used spices, their flavor will infuse during this period.

Strain and finish

After infusion, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean bowl or jar, pressing lightly on solids to extract liquid but not forcing bitter pith. Discard solids. Taste the shrub concentrate and adjust if needed: if too sharp, add up to 1–2 tablespoons sugar dissolved into a tablespoon of warm water; if too sweet, add a teaspoon more vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. Transfer the finished shrub to a sterilized bottle and refrigerate. The shrub will keep 2–4 weeks refrigerated.

Build the drink: fill a glass with 1 cup ice. Add 2 tablespoons shrub concentrate, then pour 6 oz cold sparkling water (or soda) over the top. Stir gently to combine.

Garnish and adjust: taste and adjust sweetness or acidity by adding a little more shrub (for more fruit-vinegar flavor) or a splash of soda for dilution. Garnish with a fresh herb sprig or a thin slice of the same fruit used in the shrub.

Nonalcoholic and cocktail variations: for a cocktail, replace half the sparkling water with 1.5 oz gin, vodka, or tequila and shake or stir with ice. For a mocktail, add an extra tablespoon of shrub for more intensity and top with tonic water.