Ultimately, your use of these concentrates is to your taste. Please use the following as guidelines.
Sodas:
We recommend starting by adding 1 tbsp of concentrate to 8 oz of sparkling water. Mix well. Taste. Add another teaspoon at a time until it tastes as you would like it to.
Toddies:
Adding a bit of wild flavor to a hot toddy or hot cider is a delicious twist!
We recommend adding 2 tbsp concentrate to 1c hot water or cider to start. If you add spirits, reduce the amount of water or cider you add. Cider will make a richer drink.
Do not add extra sweetener; our concentrates are already sweet!
Many of our shrubs have herbs in them, but if the one you have doesn't, consider heating the concoction on the stove with a cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, and spicebush (if you have some!) for 15 minutes. Strain into a cup, and enjoy.
Add a bit of health-boosting elderberry or elderflower to your toddy with one of our elder concentrates!
co*cktails:
A good rule of thumb when making co*cktails is to keep ratios of
2 spirit: 1 sweet: 1 tart/sour
Syrups are only sweet, but shrubs have both sweet and tart.
We recommend adding equal parts shrub concentrate to spirit.
If adding juice or simple syrup, reduce the amount of syrup and add a lemon juice or bitters to cut the sweetness.
Add fresh fruit, herbs, or vegetables to round out your drink.
Salad Dressings:
Use syrups in place of honey, maple syrup, or sugar. Add them sparingly to your favorite recipes until they are to your liking.
You can use a shrub as a dressing straight up! These are especially good with fruit salads with jicama, apples, or sweet radishes. Try different flavored shrubs mixed with neutral oils like grapeseed and avocado, with classic olive oils, or something flavorful like walnut, hazelnut, or pumpkin seed.
Flavored Sweeteners:
You can mix both syrups and shrubs with other sweeteners to add a flavor boost to pancakes, tea, and baked goods.
Start with 1 tsp concentrate to 2 tbsp sweetener and add more until it is to your liking.
Meat Marinades:
Soak beef, pork, chicken, or fish for 30 min-2 hrs in a shrub concentrate for a new flavor!
Other ideas? Send them to us and we can share your ideas, or post on yelp!
