Tangy Shrubs for Summer Sipping

Garden connections come in many forms: making a fresh pesto from early summer basil, canning a tomato bounty, using marigolds to dye fabric, or cutting a bouquet of cosmos for the kitchen table. 

Now in its 26th year, our Northeast Farm to School Institute* offers opportunities for educators, school nutrition professionals, and the wider school community to build such connections and bring those discoveries back to their students. And, we’re always on the lookout for new ways to bring the garden into the classroom or kitchen, like making shrubs (the kind you drink!).

Shrubs are simple infusions of fruits and herbs in vinegar and honey that offer a zip of flavor to seltzers or other beverages. The concoctions are sweet and tart, require very little prep time and equipment (no heat needed), and offer room for lots of experimentation.

Director of Community Programs Tre McCarney brought a few shrubs to share at the Institute and demonstrated how to make them in the classroom or home kitchen. “You can utilize so many things that grow in a school garden or a windowsill — mint, basil, thyme. It’s an accessible activity for teachers and people who just want to try something new.” 

Tre used a method she learned from Spoonful Herbals (see below), a local non-profit organization offering a multitude of ways to connect with the plants in our local region. “It’s a chance to get really hands-on,” Tre shares. “Kids can macerate the fruit and then watch the vinegar break down the fruit sugars over the course of a couple weeks.”

“I really like the caretaking aspect of fermentation projects for preschoolers,” adds Jed Norris, Director of Farm Based Youth Programs. “They really love to see how things change day to day, and the idea of needing to give it a little mix or shake every day is really fun for them. They may not love the funky flavors—or maybe they will, you never know!—but you can always add a little extra honey to make it sweeter if you need to.”

A little shrub goes a long way! We served about a tablespoon mixed into a glass of seltzer for a refreshing summer drink. Mix with fresh herbs, juices, flat water, or lemonades until you find the combo that suits your tastebuds. The favorite combination from the workshop: Peach ginger cardamom!

Ingredients

• 1 -2 cups sliced fresh berries or fruit of choice
• 1 cup aromatic herbs or flavorings (mint, basil, ginger, lemon zest, etc.)
• 3 cups raw apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or other vinegar of choice
• 2+ cups honey

Directions

1. Lightly mash berries with a fork, muddler or even pulse with an immersion blender, and put into a sterilized quart-size jar with your herbs and flavorings of choice.
2. Pour vinegar over all, making sure to cover completely. Add more as necessary.
3. Seal the jar tightly with a nonreactive lid (like plastic) or place wax paper or plastic wrap between the jar and a metal lid to avoid a reaction with the vinegar.
4. Shake well and set the jar on the counter. Shake twice daily.
5. Infuse for two weeks. Vinegar should be deeply colored. Open the jar every couple days to release any pressure and check for mold. A little bubbling isn't unusual, but discard if you see mold.
6. Strain through fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth (you may need more than one layer). Compost herbs and fruit.
7. Measure the strained vinegar. Add an equal amount of honey by volume and whisk until dissolved. Add more honey to taste.
8. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Remember to label the jar with contents and date. Shelf life is up to six months.
9. To enjoy your shrub, start with about 1 Tbsp shrub to 8 oz of still or sparkling water. Add more to taste. Add fresh herbs, citrus or berries as garnish!

More Tips from Spoonful Herbals

• You can use thawed frozen berries if you don’t have fresh ones. This is a wonderful solution in the winter.
• Experiment! This recipe has a higher vinegar-to-fruit ratio than some, making it more shelf stable, but consider adding higher or equal amounts of fruit and vinegar, perhaps 2-3 cups. You will probably need less honey as a result. These will not languish in your fridge for long, so keep trying new combinations!
• Regardless of what recipes say, these will often keep for up to a year or more, if you can keep them around that long! Discard if any mold forms.

*The Northeast Farm to School Institute is a program of Vermont FEED, our partnership project with NOFA-VT.