From our kitchen to yours!

Any Berry or Peach Shrub

Cool off with a refreshing glass of chilled Any Berry or Peach Shrub.

Ingredients:

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12 oz. berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries) sliced or quartered if large, or 3-4 peaches

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1½ cups (or more) granulated sugar

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1 cup (or more) vinegar (such as red wine, white wine, apple cider, white balsamic, or unseasoned rice)

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Club soda (for serving)

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Fresh berries and/or herb sprigs (for serving; optional)

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Tequila, Gin, Vodka, or Rum (for serving; optional)

Step 1: Gently mash berries in a medium bowl with a fork.

Transfer to jar, add sugar, and stir to combine. Seal jar and let fruit mixture sit at room temperature, shaking a couple of times, until berries are very soft and falling apart and sugar is at least mostly dissolved, about 1 day (mixture should look very juicy).

Step 2: Strain fruit mixture through a fine-mesh sieve

(line sieve with a layer of cheesecloth if you want to catch every bit of seed and fruit pulp) into a medium bowl; discard fruit.

Scrape any undissolved sugar left in jar into bowl.

Step 3: Add vinegar to syrup and stir to combine.

Taste shrub and add more sugar or vinegar to your liking-it should taste both sweet and sharp, but not overpowering in either direction (keep in mind the flavors will meld as the shrub ages). Pour shrub into a clean jar; cover with lid and chill until flavors come together and mellow, at least 1 week.

Do Ahead

Shrub can be made 6 months ahead. Keep chilled.

When ready to assemble

For a refreshing nonalcoholic drink, pour 2 tbsp. shrub into a glass filled with ice and top off with club soda; stir gently to combine. Garnish with berries and/ or herbs if desired.

If using alcohol, pour 1 1/ 2 ounces of your spirit after shrub and top with club soda.

Recipe by Magnolia Table, adapted by Georgia Peach Truck.