Taking a break from work, my dad and I were sitting on the front porch this morning. I handed him a hot coffee and I had my Rhubarb shrub. I was super excited to have my first one of the season and my dad said “You sound like your mother, bragging about her freshly made Rhubarb pies, sauce or some other concoction she made! It made me laugh, we are so much more like our parents than we sometimes want to admit 😊
So, what is a Shrub anyway?
It sounds all fancy dancy but is a super easy way of preserving fruit. Before we had refrigerators, our grandmothers were using many ways to preserve nature’s bounty. Canning, curing, smoking and dehydrating, which all sound very familiar, but shrubs, also known as drinking vinegar, might be something new to you. A shrub is just a simple fruit syrup fortified with vinegar instead of water for preserving the essence and flavour of the plants being used. The vinegar continues to work with the sugars, and over time, creates a twist … mellowing and melding into a wonderful concoction. The tangy rhubarb shrub can be added to water, mineral water, sodas, or spirits for a refreshing tart drink. I also like to add a kick of ginger or some heavenly mint from the garden! Be inventive; try adding a splash of fruit juice, herb and spices to make a new drink each time.
Shrubs were popular during 1600, 1700 and 1800’s and has been making a come back for some time. Now appearing in specialty shoppes being used most commonly in craft cocktails, or mocktails. I LOVE the saying, “everything old is new again” Ain’t that the truth!
This traditional treat is welcomed on a hot summer day or makes a lovely gift!
Companion Plant Pairings for Your Garden:
Rhubarb and Sweet Cicely
Plants grow better with a little help from their friends. The practice of planting different varieties of plants together is known as companion planting and can help ensure a healthy harvest of both crops. Rhubarb and Sweet Cicely are a perfect pair. They have been growing harmoniously side by side in my old vegetable garden for years. But the best part is they are ready at the same time! They are a delight to any gardener who loves Rhubarb but does not want a ton of sugary desserts. Sweet Cicely helps you to cut the amount of sugar in any given recipe by almost half. AMAZING!
Other kitchen pairings:
Sweet shrubs: strawberries or blackberries with mint, sweet cicely seeds with pineapple, or peaches with basil.
Savory shrubs: tomato shrub infused with chilies and cilantro, cucumber with fresh ginger, or celery and caraway seeds.
My mom’s Rhubarb recipe 💚
Ingredients
6 cups of freshly picked Rhubarb
1 ½ tsp dried ginger (optional)
¾ cup apple cider vinegar (can also use white or red wine vinegar or water)
3 hand sized pieces of Sweet Cicely leaf
¾ cup sugar (if not using Sweet Cicely, sugar should be 1 ¼ cups)
Directions
Wash rhubarb and sweet cicely. Combine chopped rhubarb, sweet cicely, sugar, ginger, and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is completely broken down and strands are visible, 15 minutes.
Use a fine mesh sieve or colander lined with cheese cloth and strain mixture into a glass container. Let cool and then chill.
Voila! Shrub is ready to use For a refreshing drink simply add 1/8th cup (1 oz) of shrub to the bottom of a tall glass, fill with ice and top with water or sparkling water. Top with a mint leaf and small stalk of rhubarb. Optional: add a splash of juice, vodka, gin, gin smash or Tom Collins.
Note: Any left over rhubarb can be frozen for later use. I always pick extra and bag up 4 cups of cut rhubarb with a leaf of sweet cicely for baking a pie or crisp when rhubarb is out of season.
Thought you might also enjoy this Rhubarb shrub martini
2 oz gin
½ ounce fresh lime juice
Club soda or sparkling water
Directions for each cocktail
Combine gin, lime juice, 1 ½ oz shrub in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice and shake for 30-40 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glass, three quarters full. Top with club soda.
Medicinal facts for all the herb nerds 🙂
Sweet Cicely
- Aromatic, stomachic, carminative and expectorant. Possible diuretic
- Useful in coughs and pleurisy
- Gentle stimulant for debilitated stomachs. Useful in flatulence
- The fresh root may be eaten freely or used in infusion with brandy or water. A valuable tonic for girls from 15 to 18 years of age
- The roots are antiseptic, and a decoction is used for the bites of all kinds through bugs to animal.
- The essence to be aphrodisiac
- The decoction of roots in alcohol is also said to be effective for consumption
- Ointment made eases the pain of gout
Rhurbarb
- Eases Digestion: the fibre in rhubarb promotes a healthy and normal digestion process and eases abdominal discomfort such as bloating and cramping
- Bone Health: the vitamin k, combined with the rich amount of calcium and other minerals found in rhubarb, promote bone protection and strengthening. The high amounts of vitamin K also promotes osteotropic activity, meaning that it stimulates bone growth and repair
- Brain health: protecting the brain from neurological damage and disorders, such as Alzheimer’s
- Antioxidant: fights free radicals and keeps inflammation in check
- Relieves constipation and diarrhea: as it eases digestion, it can also relieve constipation and diarrhea
- Lowers Inflammation: the antiviral effects of rhubarb also help inhibit inflammation, making it an effective anti-inflammatory
- Aides Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.
- Menstrual cramps
- Nutrient: containing calcium, vitamin K, A and C, potassium and manganese.
- Weight loss: rhubarb is very low in calories and the high fibre content helps you feel full faster
- Heart Diseases: the high fibre content is extremely useful in lowering cholesterol levels
Enjoy!
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