Shrubs, or drinking vinegars, are tart, sweet syrups that can be added to water, seltzer, or cocktails. They offer the health benefits of vinegar and a whole range of flavors. What better way to top off a hot day than with the sweet taste of Flathead cherries and fresh mint? Alyssa Freeseadapted this recipe from Michael Dietsch’s book Shrubs: An Old-Fashioned Drink for Modern Times.
2 cups Flathead cherries, pitted
¼ cup mint leaves
½ cup raw cane sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Combine cherries, mint and sugar. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for a day so cherries can soften.
Strain the solids from the cherry-mint syrup.
Combine the syrup with vinegar; whisk to dissolve any remaining sugar. The syrup and vinegar mixture can be repeatedly poured over the cherries and mint leaves if sugar remains on the solids.
Refrigerate syrup in a glass jar for a week before mixing and serving.
