Recipe for Blueberry and Cinnamon Shrub Syrup (and Shrub)
A shrub is a thirst-quenching, vinegar-based drink that's flavored/sweetened with fruit. Add brandy or rum and you've got a delicious cocktail; a generous splash of St-Germain (elderflower liqueur) is wonderful in here, as well.
Servings: 0 about 3 cups of syrup
Ingredients
For the Shrub Syrup:
- *1 1/2 cups water
- *1 cups sugar I used organic, fair-trade sugar
- *3 cups fresh blueberries I used frozen, wild blueberries instead
- *3/4 cup red wine vinegar preferably organic
- *2 cinnamon sticks the original recipe calls for 2 star anise, but I did not have any on hand
For the Shrub:
- *ice
- *seltzer water I love my Sodastream
- *Brandy rum, or St-Germain elderflower liqueur (optional)
Instructions
To make the Shrub Syrup:
- 1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add blueberries, vinegar, and cinnamon (or star anise). Allow to steep for 20 minutes.
- 2. Mash the blueberries with a fork and allow to cool. Transfer the mixture to a covered container and store in refrigerator for 2 days so flavors can develop.
- 3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, making sure to press all of the syrup out of the solids. Discard the solids; syrup can be stored for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
To make the Shrub:
- 1. For one drink, fill a glass with ice and add 2-3 tablespoons of the syrup. Top with seltzer and mix gently.