I would normally start off by
suggesting the merits of this liquid as an alcoholic mixer. I believe cocktails have a therapeutic and
social nature which—as long as you do not set out to have, say, seven—can
enhance an evening much like candle votives and Ray Charles on piano.
The gastronome Brillat-Savarin, once said “A dinner which ends without cheese is like a
beautiful woman with only one eye.”
Please forgive the political incorrectness (he spent most of his life in
the eighteenth century).
I appreciate the general
sentiment though. And feel similarly about
beer, wine, and drinks that contain gin or bourbon and the occasional egg white. However, I cannot suggest much in the way of booze
with this mixture today.
For the past two weeks, I have been
battling some sort of viral something that has chosen me as an agreeable
host. I have also been bitten by what
general consensus indicates was a spider.
The cocktail of these two organisms has irritated a lymph node in my
neck so that it has puffed up to the size of a pea.
Consequently, I have found my bed more
appetizing than a bar and have not done much in the way of imbibing.
Unless you count translucents, like soup and hot water, in a list of boring
possible antidotes.
In alcoholic terms, I can tell you that this liquid works with a little seltzer and about an ounce of
vodka. (But what doesn’t?) Luckily, it
also works as a lovely base for homemade soda with some bubbly water and ice
cubes.
The bright cherry-colored liquid is
called a shrub and earns its name through the addition of vinegar. It is an old timey drink that has recently
experienced a popularity resurrection. The slight sourness from the vinegar
balances and pulls together the other flavors—providing a cohesive kick.
I used damson plums because it was
early fall at the time and the market still had some. I suspect you could use
supermarket stone fruit, as you will be concentrating the flavors through heat
anyhow. You may also want to experiment with a variety of herbs, fruits, and
types of vinegars.
Either way, it is worth trying. It is an elixir that makes other clear
liquids vastly more appealing. Which is
really what we are all after, in some form, anyhow.
Damson
Shrub
Inspired by Kathy Gunst of WBUR’s Here & Now
Ingredients:
½ cup sugar
1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup whole damsons (with the pits) (or about 2
large plums, pits removed and roughly chopped)
½ cup apple cider vinegar, see note
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 2
cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and add
the basil. Simmer about 10 minutes then
add the plums and cook about 5 to 10 minutes, until the plums start to burst
and break down.
Add the vinegar and cook at a simmer 2 to 5
minutes more. Strain out the basil
leaves (or leave them in if you want a stronger herbal note; I did not). Let sit for 1 hour.
Strain out the remaining ingredients using a wire
mesh sieve or cheesecloth set over a small colander or strainer. Keep the resulting liquid in the refrigerator
until ready for use. It will last for
several weeks (mine has thrived for about a month).
Yields about 2 cups
Notes:
-The apple cider I used was fairly mild in terms
of its acidity: if you have strong vinegar start with 1/3 cup. (I suspect this
will include most supermarket grades.)
-I kept the pits in the damsons because they were
too many to remove and was going to have to strain out all the bits anyway. I also thought maybe they’d add a little
structure to the final product, like stems and skins can with wine. Maybe?
-You’ll probably need about ½ cup of the shrub if
making a cocktail (adding an ounce of booze and an ounce or two of seltzer, for
fizz, with some ice cubes is a good place to start).
