spring at home: a rhubarb shrub
a tart and sweet drink to toast springtime.
Cheers to spring! I love a tasty, seasonal drink and shrubs are such a delicious way to enjoy seasonal fruits. I have shared before that my gateway shrub was the Apple-Picking Shrub from Huckle & Goose, my very favorite seasonal cookbook. Shrubs are a fruity, sweet vinegar that you can mix with soda water (or something harder if you so choose) for a tangy-sweet drink. Along with the apple shrub, I have made blood orange and pear shrubs. Already on my seasonal bucket list, I am planning to make a strawberry shrub as soon as they are available here in Minnesota. I think I will add some fresh tarragon or basil! Later on, I also have a recipe pinned to mix up a tomato shrub this summer. It’s safe to say, shrubs bring me a lot of joy around the year!
To embrace the season, I had to make a rhubarb shrub this spring and this simple recipe is SO TASTY! Rhubarb is in abundance right now in the Midwest. The sour, crunchy stalks come alive when balanced with sugar. Growing up, late spring meant cutting rhubarb from the back yard, pouring a bowl of sugar, and puckering and smiling my way through a homegrown fun dip. I also have very fond memories of eating strawberry-rhubarb pie at family celebrations (on extra special occasions with homemade vanilla ice cream!) In celebration of the delight that rhubarb brings me each spring, I am sharing this really easy rhubarb shrub recipe. I’d love for you to let me know if you try it!
Thank you for reading! If you’d like more nudges to live seasonally, please subscribe to seasonal things.
Springtime Rhubarb Shrub
Ingredients:
6-10 rhubarb stalks (more is more here!)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup cane or granulated sugar
Prepare your rhubarb. Cut away any attached leaves and wash your rhubarb stalks. If your rhubarb is from the store or was otherwise cut long before you are using it, trim off the ends to remove any hard woody sections. Slice your rhubarb into small chunks. Drop them into a clean quart-size mason jar.
Add your sugar and apple cider vinegar. Scoop 1/2 cup sugar over your rhubarb chunks. Pour over 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Screw on the lid and shake to fully incorporate.
Let jar sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours.
Refrigerate for 2-3 days. Before placing in the fridge, I always add masking tape and sharpie a reminder like “Strain 5/24” so I don’t forget.
Strain into a wide-mouth pint jar. Using a mesh strainer, pour everything into a smaller jar. You can push the solids down, or set up your strainer to drain for a few minutes. Get every last drop of delicious shrub into your jar! Compost the leftover solids. (Again, masking tape + sharpie is your friend here for noting your brew date, although I wouldn’t worry about this one sitting around your fridge too long.)
Enjoy your shrub! Pour a splash of shrub over ice and top with seltzer water. You can keep the mason jar covered in the fridge for a few weeks (if it lasts).
Thank you for reading! If you’d like more nudges to live seasonally, please subscribe to seasonal things.
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase of any of the books linked in this post.