BLACKBERRY SHRUB
Shrubs are vinegary fruit syrups that are used as a base for refreshing cool drinks. This cold-brew method is very easy, as it’s made with roughly equal ratios of all the ingredients. Feel free to get creative with herbs and spices, or any different fruit you have to hand.
Ingredients
450g blackberries
450g sugar
325-450ml red wine vinegar
Method
Lightly mash the fruit and add the sugar. Stir, cover, and leave on the bench for 48 hours, or in the fridge if your kitchen is too warm. Strain and discard the fruit (it’s delicious over muesli with yoghurt!) but add any undissolved sugar back into the syrup.
Weigh the syrup and measure out the same weight of vinegar. Gradually add the vinegar to the syrup, tasting as you go and stopping when you reach your desired level of acidity. Store in a sterilised bottle in the fridge - it should keep for several months, and the flavour will mellow more and more with time.
To serve, pour 2 tablespoons of syrup into a tall glass filled with ice. Add a splash of gin if you like, top with sparkling water, and garnish with a sprig of mint.