So I have been making oxymels for awhile now, and just learned that an oxymel with fruit or berries added is technically known as a shrub. Oxymels are basically vinegar and honey, usually with herbs added. If you add fruit or berries, and a sweetener, then it becomes a shrub. Evidently the word shrub is actually derived from the Arabic word for syrup, sharbat. Sharbats were one way to preserve fruits and berries before refrigeration. They taste delicious, but are also medicinal when berries, fruits and herbs are used as ingredients. I have experimented combining various herbs, berries and fruits and you can see some of the results in the photos below. Mugwort Blueberry, Hawthorn Apple Rose, Gooseberry Pine, Aronia Thyme, Sea Buckthorn Ginger…. These are some of the experimental shrubs I’ve created lately. It is easy and fun to play around with different ideas, you can’t go wrong. The basic recipe is: 1 cup of any berries or fruit lightly mashed, 1/4 cup dried herb (or 1/2 cup fresh herbs), 1 cup apple cider vinegar (or herb infused vinegar), 1/2 or 1/3 cup honey (or herb infused honey). Mix together and place into a clean sealed jar with a glass lid or plastic lid. Put into the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Shake the jar a little bit every day. Strain into a clean bottle. Keep refrigerated and enjoy within 6 months.
So shrubs impart the medicinal effects of the herbs and berries or fruit that you use in the recipe, but I just enjoy them as food. I add a splash to cooked vegetables and salads, instead of using store-bought dressing. Shrubs taste delicious and help me digest my food so much better. They are also a great source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. You can also add shrubs to bubble water as a fun beverage.
I usually combine a warming herb with the cooling berry or fruit, to keep a balance of warm and cool in the shrub. And the honey and vinegar give a balance of sweet & sour. It’s delicious, give it a try!
