Berry Shrubs
Have you ever heard of shrubs? I hadn’t until about three years ago. Deep in the pandemic we’re ordering takeout and see a “rhubarb shrub” listed on the provisions/DIY cocktail section of the takeout menu, so we grabbed it. It was delicious! Just a tablespoon of that sweet nectar to a glass of sparkling water and it makes the most refreshing sweet drink.
Fast forward to last summer, I start making shrubs at home. We made strawberry hibiscus in the summer and apple cinnamon in the winter. It lasts forever in the back of the fridge because the vinegar acts as a preservative and it’s perfect for having on hand.
So I figured it was about time I get our favorite flavor combinations down in writing. This summer we made:
Strawberry Basil (my favorite)
Raspberry Hibiscus
Strawberry Hibiscus
Raspberry Lavender
I bought myself a shrub book for Christmas last year read all about the history of shrubs. Basically they have been around since biblical times. They are sometimes referred to as “drinking vinegars” and are typically made with fruit, sugar, and vinegar. You can add an aromatic if you want to get creative and play with flavors. All you do is combine the fruit, sugar, and aromatic in a bowl. Cover, stir every couple hours for the first 8 hours so the fruit and sugar macerate. Add vinegar, pop it in the fridge for another two days. Strain it, bottle it, and enjoy!
It is my favorite way to capture summer. The drinks are perfectly sweetened and the vinegar makes them really zippy and refreshing (kind of like kombucha but milder; people who find kombucha to be too much tend to really enjoy shrubs).
And you can totally make them with kids. You literally just stir all of the ingredients together and wait. My kids loved being part of the final straining process. And think that bright pink color is so fun.
Makes two 8-oz jars
1 cup packed berries (washed with stems removed)
3 tablespoons of an aromatic (dried hibiscus flowers*, lavender, mint, basil, etc)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
In a medium bowl stir to combine the berries, aromatic, and sugar. Cover and let sit at room temperature. Stir every 2 hours or so for up to 8 hours. During this stage the sugar will release the fruit’s juices and dissolve.
Transfer everything to a jar (quart mason jars are the perfect size) and transfer to the fridge for the remaining 16 hours.
After the 16 hours add apple cider vinegar to the jar and shake to combine. Refrigerate for another 48 hours (I like to shake the jar once a day or so during this stage.
Pour very hot water into jars and lay them out to dry at room temperature. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and transfer to the bottles.
To serve pour 1-2 tablespoon (or really however much you like based on preferred sweetness) over ice, top with sparking water and stir to combine. Enjoy!
* We got dried hibiscus flowers from my favorite, The Spice House. But for a more accessible option you can also just add the contents of hibiscus tea bags.
Honeycrisp Apple Butter
Nate and I have been canning apple butter for years. We’ve always used this old recipe from chow hound but have adapted it over the years as our own. I love the simplicity of it - throw everything in a giant dutch oven and cook it until it’s thick (sometimes over multiple days if you work full-time and are never home for that many hours at once).
Speaking of working full time. My God. This 8:30-5 Monday - Friday with a infant thing is maybe the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Second to writing a dissertation, which I have a least 1 meltdown about on a weekly basis. Wtf was I thinking. Did you all see the Meghan Markle interview about not being okay? I feel her, so much.
We moved to Seattle over 4 months ago and I feel less settled today than the day we moved. Between navigating pregnancy, internship interviews, match, the closure of my doctoral program and collective hysteria that came with it, birth, and then uprooting our lives with a 7 week old to move to a city I’ve never been to for an internship where I’d be doing clinical work full-time for the first time was too ambitious. I mean on paper we did it. We’re alive. Frankie is alive and thriving. But it came at a high cost that leaves me an emotional puddle most days of the week. I have a lot of counter-transference with my depressed clients. In a weird way sitting with suicidal clients helps deflect from my own feelings of loss and sadness.
I’m grateful for this space. Because my work often feels so heavy, and complex (though also very meaningful), it feels refreshing to be able to just follow a list of instructions and ingredients on a page and have them come together as the recipe intends. The input almost always = the output in food. The rest of my life does not feel that way. It’s messy and complicated and heavy. So heavy lately.
But you’re here for the apple butter, so I should probably stay focused! It takes a long time to cook up, but once it’s done the flavor is complex and comforting and perfect on whole wheat toast with butter after dinner when you’re still hungry for a little something sweet. We store it in canned mason jars under our bed and reach for it whenever we get invited to a party or need a small but special last minute gift. A jar goes a long way, and it seems to capture the elegance of Fall, (my favorite season) in a jar.
Also, I’ve been relying on those simple joys, like canning apple butter, to get me through the darkness (both internally and externally - ughh daylight savings time!) lately. But seriously, late October through the dreaded December 21 darkest day of the year are usually SO HARD for me. And Seattle is so far north. I’ve already busted out the happy lamp. Other simple joys: expanding my houseplant collection, buying Frankie all the Christmas the Zara & H&M baby clothes, meal planning our first Thanksgiving as a family of 3, ordering her stocking and designing Christmas cards. Also fantasizing about the sabbatical I want to take where I lay on the floor and play with Frankie and bake all day when internship is over. The end! Happy Fall, friends.
Makes about 7 half-pint jars
8 pounds honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3.5 cups apple cider
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla
Combine all the ingredients in a large dutch oven and stir so the spices evenly coat the apples. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered for about 30 minutes until the apples are soft.
Puree the mixture with an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender) until completely smooth.
Return to heat and simmer, with the lid cracked to allow steam to realize but to prevent splatter, for 6-8 hours. You’ll know you’re done when the color is dark and the apple butter is thick and significantly reduced.
When ready to can follow the steps here.
Simplest Chipotle Salsa
This is my favorite salsa, I remember the first time we made it last winter thinking it was the simplest, tastiest salsa I've ever had. And the best part is that it only requires 5 ingredients, most of which you probably have laying around, and takes no time to make. I'm a such a sucker for that spicy complex chipotle flavor that really makes this salsa what it is.
Makes about 4 cups (2 pints)
1.5 pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered (any kind works)
1/2 large red onion, diced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2-4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (depending on hot spicy you want your salsa, I used 3)
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until desired level of chunkiness is achieved. Adjust to taste.