Blood orange shrub (aka drinking vinegar)
Shrubs (aka drinking vinegars) are a great zero-proof cocktail alternative. I generally don’t drink alcohol (I make a few exceptions) but typical mocktails are way too sweet for my taste. Enter the shrub!
Diet: zero-proof • Servings: 4 • Prep time: 3 hoursINGREDIENTS
4 blood oranges, sliced (save some slices for garnishing your mocktail)
Champagne vinegar
Sugar
Rosemary sprigs
Ice
Sparkling water
PLAYLIST PAIRING
METHOD
1
Make simple syrup
2
Add fruit and simmer until it looks tired
3
Add the vinegar and bring up to just under a simmer for a moment
4
Strain shrub liquid into a tight seal container. Pour over ice, add sparkling water and garnish.
Non-alcoholic cocktails are thankfully on the rise
I’ve written before about how I’ve noticed a welcome uptick in mocktails at upscale bars and restaurants. I’ve also noticed that the term “mocktail” is being replaced with “zero-proof”. As a sober person myself, I can confirm that asking for a mocktail doesn’t have the same dignity of a martini, and menu creators agree. Plus, mocking is no longer an accurate representation of the complex concoctions being crafted. In fact, zero-proof cocktails are often more expensive to produce than alcoholic cocktails because they use higher quality, rarer ingredients. Just as much time and effort is going into the final product, because that's what it takes to put that much flavor into something without alcohol.
As a sober adult with a refined palette, I’ve been looking for something tasty to make at home when I’m in a celebratory mood. And then I stumbled upon this shrub inspiration from Food52.
Shrubs, aka drinking vinegars, are delicious and I plan to bring my new found zero-proof cocktail to house parties to upgrade my BYOB sparkling water.
Some more shrub combination ideas:
strawberries + white sugar + red wine vinegar and a splash of balsamic vinegar
blueberries + thinly sliced ginger + cider vinegar
nectarine + peppercorn + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
peach + cardamom pods + honey + cider vinegar
pomegranate + peppercorn + white sugar + red wine vinegar
pear + star anise + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
red plum + cardamom + brown sugar + white wine vinegar
The hot process
Slice the oranges
Blood oranges are my favorite, but regular oranges work great too.
Simmer oranges in simple syrup
Simmer on low until the fruit looks tired. Then add vinegar and simmer briefly. Strain into a container (I use my Chemex!).
Slice more oranges for garnish
I love a sprig of rosemary too.
