Shrub syrup

Tam West

An old-fashioned shrub (now popular again for cocktails) is a fruit syrup that's preserved with vinegar and mixed with water or alcohol. A proper shrub has a flavour that is tart and sweet, so it stimulates the appetite while quenching the thirst, and is the perfect way to utilise less-than-perfect berries and fruit.

Ingredients

500 g	Plums, chopped and pitted (Main)
250 g	Strawberries, diced small (Main)
150 g	Blackberries (Main)
300 g	Caster sugar
1 ½ cups	Apple cider vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar (Main)

Directions

1. Mash plums, strawberries, blackberries and castor sugar together with your (clean) hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
2. Strain fruit and juices through a muslin bag, gently squeezing out as much juice as possible (approximately 3 cups). Discard solids.
3. Add apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar to juice, whisk together and pour into a large sterilised jar and chill (will last a couple of months in the fridge). To make thirst-quenching summer drinks, fill a tall glass with ice, add a little syrup and top up with soda water. Try it mixed into chilled iced tea, with bubbles, or in refreshing rum or gin cocktails.

More of Warren's summery stonefruit recipes

• Baked stonefruit cookies
• Apricot salsa
• Stonefruit salad