This shrub drink is a delightful pick-me-up made with fresh fruit, sugar and vinegar.

What’s a shrub? In two words: drinking vinegar. Before refrigeration was invented, shrubs were an excellent way to preserve fruit. Fresh fruit was mixed was sugar and fermented over several days creating to create a thick syrup that could then be added to water and cocktails.

Shrubs don’t have to be alcoholic and are certainly not girly. You can finally serve a pretty pink drink that both men and women can enjoy together. Though similar in color, this shrub drink is a far cry from a Cosmopolitan.

The sweetness of fruit and sourness of the vinegar makes a refreshing combination when added to tall glass of seltzer. The tangy flavor in similar to other fermented drinks like kombucha.

A typical shrub cocktail revolves around the syrup. Usually made with fresh fruit, sugar and vinegar, the shrub syrup can be made in a variety of ways. Shrub enthusiasts will first make their own fruit vinegar. That vinegar is then added to a combination of fresh fruit and sugar left to sit out and ferment over a few days. This strawberry rhubarb shrub enlists a less traditional but time-saving technique of cooking the fruit, vinegar and sugar together, rather than waiting a week for fermentation. Add this shrub syrup to an iced glass of seltzer for a thirst-quenching aperitif. Make the shrub syrup up to three days before and store in the fridge. The combination of strawberry and rhubarb is perfect with a botanical gin like Hendrick’s or Magellan in this cocktail.

Quick and Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Drink  

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
4 oz. Hendrick’s gin
24 oz. seltzer
ice
4 mason jars

Directions

Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for about ten minutes, stirring constantly until the fruit begins to break down. Remove from heat and allow the fruit soak for 15 minutes, stir again

Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the liquid from the pulp and chill in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Fill each mason jar with 3-4 medium ice cubes and 1 ounce of the strawberry rhubarb liquid. Then add 1 ounce gin, stir with a spoon and then top off with 4 ounces selzer. Serve with a straw.

Related on Eco Salon

How to Make Your Own Drinking Vinegar 

Raspberry Rhubarb Muffins 

9 Homemade Cocktail Mixers 

Photos by Ally-Jane 

The post Quick and Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Drink   appeared first on EcoSalon.

Rhubarb is a special summertime treat. For those want to enjoy it year-round, though, you can capture the flavor of summer by canning rhubarb. You’ll thank yourself on that cold wintery day when you need a little extra summer warmth to get you through.

Yields about 6 pints (3 quarts)

Ingredients

4½ pounds rhubarb
1½ cups sugar

Directions

Wash the rhubarb and cut it into 2-inch lengths. Measure 12 cups of cut rhubarb and place them in a 12-quart, heavy-bottomed, stainless steel kettle. Add the sugar; stir lightly. Cover the kettle. Let stand 4 hours to draw juice out of the rhubarb.

Then, drain hot, sterilized, pint or quart jars, upside down, on a clean tea towel. Let stand.

Over medium-high heat, bring the rhubarb mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Boil the rhubarb 10 seconds only.

Remove from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, pack the hot rhubarb (without syrup) into the prepared jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Using a 1-cup measuring cup with a pouring spout, cover the rhubarb in the jars with the hot syrup, maintaining ½-inch headspace. Using a plastic knife or a narrow, rubber spatula, remove the air bubbles in the jars. Then, check the headspace in each jar and if necessary, add additional syrup to maintain ½-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads. Place hot, metal lids on the jars and screw the bands firmly.

Process in a boiling-water canner for the time shown in the processing times chart at the end of this recipe.

Remove the jars from the canner and place them on a dry, wooden board that has been covered with a tea towel. Let the jars stand, undisturbed, 12 hours to cool completely.

Related stories:

Blue Ribbon Country Canning: Strawberry Jam Recipe

Recipe: Swedish Rhubarb Jam

Recipe courtesy of Blue Ribbon Country Canning Cookbook by Diane Roupe.

Photos by Erin Scott (Egg & Dart Press, 2013).

The post Homemade Canned Rhubarb Recipe (Capturing Summer in a Mason Jar) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Springtime is special. The birds and bees are out and about doting over every gorgeous flower. It’s a vibrant, flavorful time of year; and for the sweet tooth, it’s the berry best vegan dessert time of year!

Who doesn’t love a good dessert? As a vegan, I’ve learned to do without, more often than not, those cakes, cookies, tarts and pies that are usually slathered in butter and full of eggs. I can skip the wintery fruitcakes, pumpkin pies and heavy chocolatey treats, but it’s not quite the same in spring.

Spring is full of so many seasonal yummy berries and fruits that make desserts taste light and fresh, especially when they’re vegan. They’re certainly nothing to feel guilty about…at least not that guilty, anyway. In fact, some of them can be a bit on the healthy side…although, it’s never an excuse to overdo it!

Where to begin? How about the most spring of all treats…

Rhubarb

It’s the sweet treat of the season. And while a fruity rhubarb pie is a must, consider some of these other options, veganized:

1. Strawberry and Rhubarb topped Sundaes

2. Poached Rhubarb

3. Rhubarb Sorbet

4. Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

Berries

Of course they’re perfect all by themselves…but sometimes we want to eat fancy foods.

5. Strawberry Shortcake

6. Strawberry Cobbler

7. Strawberry Pistachio Tart

Citrus

Citrus fruits are available year round, but their true season is winter through the end of May or so. And it’s a good thing because they make some of the best vegan desserts ever.

8. Key Lime Pie

9. Lemon Bars

10. Lemon Ginger Cookies

11. Lemon Cake

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

Image: various brennemans

The post Tart, Sweet and Fresh: 11 Springtime Vegan Dessert Recipe Ideas appeared first on EcoSalon.