It’s such fun making infusion recipes to share with family and friends. (Infusion=plant sitting in liquid to extract the flavor and beneficial properties)
This batch began with harvesting a bunch or wild blackberries and am making a really fun and simple to make “drinking vinegar” that turns any sparkling water into a healthy, tasty “soda.”
What is a Shrub? Basically, it’s a concentrated syrup made with berries, vinegar, and honey. I’m also adding some wild rose petals I’ve recently harvested. You can also turn this into a delicious cocktail if you’d like. So here we go!
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh organic blackberries
¼ cup rose petals (never use roses from a florist where they may have been treated with chemicals) only use organic/food grade flowers. This is and optional ingredient. No rose petals? No problem. Just move forward with the berries
2 cups of organic apple cider vinegar
1 cup raw, organic honey
Directions:
Put your clean berries into a squeaky clean quart mason jar and “muddle” or smash them a bit with a fork. Place the rose petals in the jar and cover with the apple cider vinegar. Cover the jar with a plastic lid. No plastic lid? No problem. Place a larger than the mouth of the jar square of wax paper or parchment paper and then screw on the metal lid (as a barrier….as vinegar corrodes metal.)
Place jar in a cool, dark place and let it “steep” for two weeks.
After steeping, strain the mixture; save the infused vinegar and stir in the honey. Transfer the mixture to a clean jar or bottle. Cap with a non-reactive lid. Store in the fridge for up to a year. Use 1 part syrup to 4 parts sparkling water.
For a cocktail, add a shot of your favorite alcohol (vodka or white rum blend well) and dress it up with a sprig of mint or wedge of lime.
Enjoy!