Shrubs

Blackberry-Ginger Shrub

The shrub: 

1/2 cup sugar

1/2-2/3 cup fresh blackberries

6-8 basil (whole leaves)

2/3 cup Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar 

To make shrub:
Combine first three ingredients in a bowl and macerate with a fork until liquid and combined. Let sit for an hour. 

Add balsamic vinegar and stir. 

Place in glass jar with lid and let sit at room temperature for 3-5 days. Shake a couple of times a day.  
 

To make the cocktail: 

We made a couple of different ways to suite individual tastes and to keep overall sugar intake down. Make however you like but this is what we did.  

Add two ounces of shrub to tall glass, add two ounces of vodka, squeeze of fresh lime, ice and fill with La Croix lime water. We muddled a piece of candied ginger and added that too. Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh blackberry and piece of fresh basil. 

Options: we did one with diet ginger ale in place of sparkling water. It was sweeter, of course. Berry La Croix would be good too. 

Substituted Fireball whiskey for the vodka. The cinnamon of this really made the ginger “pop.”