Hey friends! I’m turning the writing reigns over to Lauren today so that she can share with you one of her delicious shrubs! Don’t know what exactly a shrub is? Keeping reading 😉
Courtney and I live in Houston, Texas. It’s hot. It’s like, really hot. And during this time of year, almost every mason jar in my house is in use for the cooling creations of summer. Pickles. Broth. Shrub. Switchel. I love being able to reach into the ‘fridge to grab a sweet and sour something to pick me up out of my shlumpy sweat-induced stupor.
In Ayurveda, the sour taste is a key component in digestion. It’s a spark. Hot and light, it gets the digestion going. That’s why at many Indian restaurants you’ll find all sorts of lovely pickles on the menu. It’s also why you get a slab of dill next to a sandwich or burger. The taste is a good balance for heavy meals that need super-digestion to take care of.
One of my favorite ways to incorporate sour into my summer is through the magical mixture of a shrub. A shrub is a fruit + vinegar infusion. A sweet and sour mixture that, when allowed to sit for a bit, is refreshing yet stimulating.
Often, I will drink shrub in the place of alcohol in the summer. Alcohol is straight fire. Even the Spanish have called it “Aguardiente” or fire-water. It, in the summer, will often increase my internal heat past the moderate point. For me, that just isn’t pleasant. That’s why I like a shrub. I can still look like a classy lady with a mixed drink in hand, but sip on something that I know is doing my gut wonders and isn’t inducing me to sweat like I am a cup of cold water condensing on a picnic table. (AKA POURING SWEAT)
^ me in the summer
Below is a shrub that I threw together in Courtney’s presence with what was in my pantry and crisper drawer. It turned out to be a delightful combination that I will certainly aim to make again. Really, though, you can try your hand at shrubbing with almost any fruit, sugar and herb. Some past combos I’ve made were Rosemary, Beet + Orange Honey and Lavender Kumquat Honey.
Happy summer sipping, y’all!
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I used to eat salads like nobody’s business, especially when I first starting transitioning to a vegetarian/vegan based diet. They’re the most common meatless option at restaurants and they’re incredibly easy to make. I ate so many salads that I got a little burnt out on them. I grew weary of them being pretty much the ONLY vegetarian, vegan, or even gluten free option when out to eat. I wanted creativity! I wanted substance! So I mostly stopped eating them for a while, save for making the occasional one at home.