Drinking in the Land of the Shrubs, Brigadune Reborn

 

 

 

 

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

 In The Land of Yorkshire ruled by King Terry R,

 Henceforth, by royal proclamation, it shall be decreed that sugary drinks served in vessels greater than 16 ounces shall be forbidden by penalty of death from ye olde torture device named PX90.

 

Banners were hung, town criers were hired and the new decree went into effect. Word of the new law spread throughout the kingdom of Yorkshire; to the young and old, visitors and citizens, the wealthy and the poor...all must not drink out of a large vessel (unless it was water or maybe juice but even that was risky)....

 

King Terry R sat on his throne yapping away at his court. He noticed his subjects were expanding and growing larger and larger. He thought long and hard and hired many consultants to help figure out why his people were plump. Wizards and scholars arrived from near and far to study this phenomenon, they watched, they listened, they took notes. They tested the food. They tested the air. They tested the soil. They had many meetings, many discussions, and many debates....expert upon experts were called and finally they all came to the same conclusion.

 

King Terry R, Your people are gaining weight because they are drinking out of vessels that are too big for them.

So King Terry R set about making a new law once he was finished with his groomer. If the vessels were smaller, then no one could gain weight. It was a brilliant plan. He set it into motion then yapped a bit at some people walking by before he decided to nap. Making new laws was a tough job.

 

Meanwhile in a kingdom nearby, Monarch Santos Mayhem, a ruler that was rarely seen, was once again locked in his castle tower. It was rumored that he and his cohorts were the ones secretly behind the weight gain of subjects near and far. Behind closed doors, people whispered that he had played with the laws of nature herself and was pompous enough to think that he could control the world through his magic. There were stories of strange potions given to animals. There were magic seeds sowed in fields across the countryside which created mutant plants that no one had ever seen before. Something had to be done but no one knew what to do or where to start.

One fateful day a road appeared. It was a road not seen on any map including google earth. It led to a small town located in a fertile green valley. It was called Brigadune. The road appeared once every century for 33 days and then disappeared into the recesses of time. The friendly folk from Brigadune gathered and smiled. They welcomed the curious to their town. It was beautiful...the grass was greener than any grass they had seen. The plants were vibrant. The roads were golden. The townsfolk were radiant. It was almost like a place that existed in fairytale or dreams...or blogs.

And there she was, the representative of Brigadune, in all her glory....Glow.



"Hi there!" she said, gleaming white smile and bright red lipstick.
"I think we can help you out. If not, I have the name of three other mystical villages that appear out of the abyss that also might be of some help to you."

"Let's start with by teaching you to make a magical elixir that will quench your thirst and take away that craving for soda pop that you all seem to have developed."











Mayhem was lurking nearby. This was not going to be good for business.
 

 

"For centuries, before mankind had discovered refrigerators, vinegar was used as a type of preservative. When mixed with fruit and sweetener it became a curious potion known as a shrub. It was mixed with water, sparkling water, even alcohol. It was tasty, fruity, sweet and sour all at the same time. Before we had the term "drink mixers", we had shrubs. It apparently has been long forgotten since we brought it to you centuries ago. We drink it all of the time. Once in a while we throw in some green tea just for kicks but for us, shrubs are the way to go. " Glow explained.

Let me show you how to make them. It's really very easy. The hardest part is the waiting.

 

 

 Gather the fruit you will be using, the vinegar and sugar. You will need equal parts of each.

 

I used:

• Peaches, Ginger and Apple Cider Vinegar (1 Cup each *fruit*sugar*vinegar*)
• Strawberries, Peppercorns and Balsamic Vinegar (1 Cup each *fruit*sugar*vinegar*)
• Blackberries, Rosemary, and Red Wine Vinegar (1 Cup each *fruit*sugar*vinegar*)

 Here, I have the fruit sliced and ready to go in jars.

 I add an equal amount of sugar and let sit for 2 days, shaking occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Once the fruit has given up all of it's juices, strain out the liquid, very gently squeezing to extract a small amount of juice. Keep the fruit solids for another use...pancakes, yogurt, you decide.

 Put your fruit syrups in bottles with the vinegar of your choice.

 Let sit for about a week until the flavors mellow and blend together.

The shrubs will continue to blend and mellow as time goes on. Since they were used in the past to preserve fruit before refrigeration, they should be ok stored at room temperature. Once mine mellowed to a flavor I liked, I stored them in the fridge.
Sources on the internet say they can last anywhere from a month to 6 months.
Make small batches so you can enjoy without having to worry about anything other than, is it time to make more?

After a week, they will be ready to drink. Be prepared to taste a totally new sensation!

It doesn't take much to flavor some mineral water....

Start with a tablespoon in a glass and experiment from there.

I had a bit of agave syrup handy to temper some of the bite.

 Be creative.

 Experiment.

Compliment the drinks with some fresh fruit too.

 Or add your favorite spirits.

Here are a few ideas to get you started....

Peach Barrel 

1/2 oz Peach Ginger Shrub

1/2 oz Peach Schnapps (optional)

1 oz Makers Mark

4 oz Soda Water or Sparkling Mineral Water

Combine and serve over ice.

 

Captain Blackberry

1/2 oz Blackberry Shrub

1 oz Captain Morgans Spiced Rum

4 oz Soda Water or Sparkling Mineral Water

Combine and serve over ice.

 

 Cassada Cake

1/2 oz Strawberry Shrub

1 oz Three Olives Cake

4 oz Soda Water or Sparkling Mineral Water

Combine and serve over ice.

 

Drink well, my friends

and responsibly

*Small Disclaimer* While vinegar has been found in laboratory animals to have many positive health effects (such as lowering cholesterol and weight loss), drinking vinegar on a regular basis in excessive amounts can erode tooth enamel and cause throat irritation. It may also thin blood and may negatively react with some drugs such as insulin. Even though the amount of vinegar contained in the drinks above is very minimal, it's important to be aware of what you are putting in your body and the effects it may have.

 

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