A few weeks back my daughter and I were watching Kelsey Nixon on the Cooking Channel, and quickly became intrigued by a Blackberry Sipping Vinegar she prepared.
This deliciously intense drink, also known as a blackberry shrub or fruit shrub syrup, is essentially a fruit syrup, preserved with vinegar and mixed with water or alcohol to make a tangy, refreshing beverage.
After a bit of research I have learned that these drinking vinegars were popular during Colonial America as a way to capture the freshness of seasonal fruits. They seem to be back in vogue on cocktail menus when served with Vodka. Also, served to guest during a meal, these sipping vinegars will aid with digestion. If you have a friend whose dinner parties often leave your belly rumbling, you might want to consider bringing a batch of homemade fruit shrub as a hostess gift. Pretty sneaky!
Making a sipping vinegar is a multi-day process, but is rather simple and well worth the effort.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups blackberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Step 1: Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Add the vinegar to the macerated blackberries and refrigerate for another day.
Step 3: Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids.
Step 4: Transfer your sipping vinegar to a container and enjoy for weeks to come.
This recipe can be made with so many different fruits. I’m sure to be making cherry and cranberry varieties in the very near future.
Shrubs and sipping vinegars can be served in a variety of ways. You can serve them in small glasses to be sipped straight, but my preferred method is to put 1/4 cup of the shrub mixture into a glass and top with ice and club soda. I like to garnish with a couple of fresh berries. You can optionally add a splash or two of Vodka to the glass.
Blackberry Shrub
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackberries
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mash the blackberries and sugar together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days, stirring occasionally.
- Add the vinegar to the macerated blackberries and refrigerate for another day.
- Press the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids.
- Transfer your sipping vinegar to a container and enjoy for weeks to come.
I love cider vinegar and blackberries. This sounds so interesting!
Apple Cider Vinegar has so many health benefits. I need to try drinking it like this.
I am going to try this recipe!Vinegar is suppose to be good for so many things to improve your health.This would be a great way to get the vinegar you need,and it would be so tasty too.Thank you so much for sharing this!
I would definitely try this. It looks really good. I’ve never tried Apple Cider Vinegar before – but I would give it a try. This recipe with Cranberries sounds good also.
This is interesting and sounds both healthy and refreshing! Thank you for sharing this with us all and have a lovely day.