Lavender Blackberry Shrub Recipe

 

Shrubs are beverage mixers made from plants, sugar and vinegar.  Commonly made with fruit, berries or herbs, they offer a wide variety of flavors to add a touch of acidity or brightness to a drink.  Shrubs are also very easy to make at home and have on hand for refreshing nonalcoholic beverages, cocktails and other culinary preparations that would be enhanced by a little sweetness and a little sharpness.

 

 Lavender Blackberry Shrub

 

Ingredients:

• 6 oz blackberries (or raspberries, blueberries or strawberries if you like)
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Organic Culinary Lavender
• 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup vinegar (such as red wine, white wine, apple cider, white balsamic, or unseasoned rice)
  

Makes about 12 fl oz

Step 1  —  Gently mash berries in a bowl.  Grind lavender slightly (or crush between your fingers) to release the flavor.  Transfer berries and lavender to a large glass jar with a lid.  Add sugar and stir to combine.  Seal the jar and let fruit mixture rest at room temperature, shaking a couple of times, until berries are very soft and falling apart.  This should take about 1 day and the mixture should look very juicy.

Step 2  —  Strain the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (line sieve with a layer of cheesecloth if you want to catch every bit of berry matter) into a bowl.  Scrape any undissolved sugar left in the jar into the bowl.  Discard the leftover berry mash (great for the compost pile!).

Step 3  —  Add the vinegar to the berry syrup and stir to combine. Taste the shrub and add more sugar or vinegar to your liking—it should taste both sweet and sharp but not overpowering in either direction.  Pour shrub into a clean jar, cover with lid and chill.  You can certainly use your shrub right away, but many like to let the flavors come together and mellow which takes about 1 week.

Your tasty shrub can last for 6 months in the refrigerator.

How to use your homemade lavender shrub...

For a refreshing nonalcoholic drink, a great place to start is a 1:5 ratio.  Pour 1 oz shrub into a glass and add 5 oz of sparkling water or club soda.  Now taste.  Tasting is very important to find the ratio that best suits you.  Add a little more shrub or soda until you find your perfect balance.  Add some ice and garnish with berries, lavender, lemon, lime, whatever you like.  Have fun with it.  This should be a fun drink, so if that means it needs an umbrella, perfect! 

 

For something else entirely... To make two cocktails use 1-2 oz of shrub, 2-3 oz of your spirit of choice, a dash or two of bitters, top it off with club soda to taste and add ice and garnish if desired.  Cheers!

 

  

Shrubs are also a delicious addition to a vinaigrette.  Blend 1/4 cup shrub, 1/4 cup of your favorite vinegar and 3/4 cup olive oil.  Add salt, pepper and minced shallot to taste. 

The playful balance between sweet and sharp in a shrub lends itself to culinary experimentation... drizzle a little over ice cream or the salmon you are about to grill.  Have fun and let us know how it turns out!

Continue the culinary experimentation with these fun cooking with lavender tips and recipes.

Download a printer friendly version of this lavender recipe here.