Blackberry Shrub Food

BLACKBERRY SHRUB

Steps:

• Place fruit and cinnamon stick in a sterilized pint jar. Bring vinegar just to a boil; pour over fruit, leaving ¼-in. headspace. Center lid on jar; screw on band until fingertip tight. Refrigerate for 1 week., Strain vinegar mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another sterilized pint jar. Press solids to extract juice; discard remaining fruit., Bring sugar and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly. Stir into vinegar mixture; shake well. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. , To serve, drink 1-2 tablespoons or add to a glass of ice, top with sparkling water and garnish with fresh blackberries.

SHRUB

Steps:

• Wash and sterilize a bowl or jar. Add blackberries; cover with sugar. Add thyme and sage. Stir well to combine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until a pool of juice and syrup forms around the blackberries, 1 to 2 days.
• Remove thyme and sage from the bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer over a separate bowl and pour in blackberry mixture. Press lightly on the solids to expel all the juice.
• Sterilize a glass jar or bottle. Pour in juice and add vinegar. Cover with a lid and shake gently to dissolve any remaining sugar. Let rest until flavors intensify, at least 1 day.

BLACKBERRY SHRUB

Steps:

• Crush berries with sugar, cover and let stand overnight.
• Press through a cheesecloth lined sieve, extracting as much juice as possible.
• Mix in lemon juice.
• Taste for sweetness if too tart, add sugar, stirring until dissolved.
• Pour into bottle, cover and refrigerate.
• Serve as is on the rocks in punch cups or small glasses, or, half fill a tall glass with shrub, add ice, and fill with club soda, or, pour into punch cups and top each serving with a scoop of tart sherbet.