Raspberry + Orange Shrub

Hey! It’s been awhile.

After 6 weeks of creating and sharing content on my new membership site TIPU, where my recipes come without a long accompanying blog post, I’ve gotten really used to that simple delivery style, so going forward I might stick to that same format on this site too, unless I really feel the urge to write 🙂

If you missed the news, TIPU is where I’m now sharing new weekly recipes, alongside recipes from my first two out of print cookbooks, as well as gardening grow guides and simple gardening videos. I don’t have plans to create anymore cookbooks, so this is where all my energy is now going and I gotta say, it feels really nice to be creating content weekly again, like I once did for many years here. 

Just so you know, nothing’s changing here, My Darling Lemon Thyme will remain the same, access to the recipe archives will remain available to all, but it’s likely there will only be one new recipe added per season on this site, as I invest most of my time in TIPU. Want to find out more info or join my growing community? Click HERE.

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Raspberry + orange shrub

I very rarely (if ever) drink alcohol, so I’m always playing around with alcohol-free beverages that still have a celebratory air about them. Fruit shrubs (aka drinking vinegars) are one I turn to throughout the year, using all manner of seasonal fruit and flavourings. Here I’ve kept it simple with raspberries and a little orange zest, but you could use any berry you have on hand. Freshly picked blackberries make an amazing shrub if you have access to lots of them, or try blueberries, strawberries or black currants. You can increase the amount of sugar if you like things a little sweeter and of course, if you’re making for a crowd this recipe can easily be doubled or quadrupled.

Makes 1 cup syrup, enough for 4-6 drinks

Ingredients

• 125g (1 cup) raspberries fresh or frozen
• 65g 1/3 cup raw caster sugar
• finely grated zest 1 orange
• 125ml (1/2 cup) apple cider vinegar
• sparkling water to serve

Instructions

• Combine berries, sugar and zest in a bowl and mix well to combine. Cover and set aside on the bench 2-4 hours before transferring to the fridge overnight. The next day add apple cider vinegar, mix well then pass through a fine sieve, pressing firmly to extract as much flavour as possible. You should only be left with the seeds and zest to compost.
• Transfer syrup to a glass jar or bottle. It will store happily in the fridge for a week or two (normally I’d say indefinitely for shrubs, but this one has a lot of fruit pulp in it so it won’t keep as long). To serve, pour 1-3 tablespoons syrup into a glass and top up with chilled sparkling or still water.

Notes

This recipe was originally created for and featured in Nourish Magazine, NZ.