As of this writing, a few months ago, I signed up for a class on energy work. It was one of the free online classes, so it was not in depth. However, one of the things that was mentioned was a SHRUB. My first thought was: What the ---- does a bush have to do with anything?
Well, it wasn't a bush. It was an old fashioned summer time drink from the 1700's or maybe even earlier. It is full of nutrients and electrolytes, and healthier and less expensive than soda. And, it creates a lot less trash in the environment.
I have been experimenting with making shrubs from the wild fruits that I harvest, the watermelons that are too big for me to eat, and the tasteless supper market strawberries. YUM, YUM, and YUM. The strawberry shrub actually tastes like strawberries.
It took me a week of combing the internet to find a version that I wanted to try and a couple of weeks of experimenting. Here is what is working for me.
BASIC SHRUB
1 cup fresh fruit
1 cup sugar, brown sugar, or honey
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Wash and chop or crush the fruit. Soft fruits work best. Above are shown my foraged raspberries. (Oranges or lemons chopped with the peal are also good.)
Place in a wide mouth jar. For 1 to 1 1/2 cup fruit, a quart jar works well.
Add the sugar. I use granulated sugar because it is less expensive than honey.
Mix, then put the lid on the jar and shake well.
Place in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 days. Shake well once or twice a day.
After 2 - 3 days, pour the fruit through a fine mesh sieve or juicer and squeeze the juice and sugar out of the fruit.
Return the sweet juice syrup to the jar and add the apple cider vinegar. Shake well.
This is the strawberry mix.
Return the mix to the refrigerator for 1 week. I shake the mix daily. Sometimes I add rosemary, mint, or thyme to the mix with the vinegar.
To mix a non alcoholic drink, in a jar or glass, mix 1 part shrub to 4 parts water. Adjust the proportions to taste.
strawberry
raspberry
Enjoy!