Blueberry-Lemon Ginger Shrub Syrup

Prep Time: 25 mins 12 hrsServings: 1½ cups syrup
A shrub is a sweet, tangy syrup that can be used to flavor anything from soda water to fancy cocktails. This recipe combines blueberries, lemon zest, and little fresh ginger. Add a splash to your favorite lemonade, or add it to gin and make a martini.

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the lemon zest peels, blueberries, sugar, and ginger. Stir to combine and coat all the fruit with sugar. Use a fork to gently smash some of the berries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, up to 24 hours. (The longer the mixture sits, the more juice you’ll end up with.) Check it halfway through the refrigeration time, and stir, smashing the berries a little more.
When you are ready to prepare the shrub, set a strainer over another bowl and pour the fruit into the strainer. Use a spoon to gently press and smash the fruit to extract more juice. Allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes. Stir again.
Note: Depending on the size of your strainer, small seeds from fruits like blueberries may pass through. These often go unnoticed in a drink, but if you want fewer seeds, pass the syrup through the strainer again, or through a cheese cloth.
Once you’ve gathered the syrup, stir in the vinegar. Use a funnel to transfer the shrub to a bottle. Seal and shake.
Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 7 days before using. Shake it once a day to help dissolve the sugar. It is ready once the sugar has dissolved and the vinegar has mellowed to your taste preferences. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of shrub syrup per 8 to 12 ounce drink.
*We recommend using lemons from Paramount Citrus. They are consistently fresh and juicy and available at most major grocery, mass and club retailers.

Credit:

Paramount Citrus

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