Natalie Bovis Mixes Drinks with "Shrubs"
If you haven't already hopped on the shrub train, its time you did. Its been bubbling (in vinegar) for some time now in bars around the world... and even long before that. Shrubs were a way of preserving fruits in sugar and vinegar, dating back to colonial times in the U.S. Today, we are seeing a resurgence of shrubs in cocktails - such as the one below.You can cook shrubs, make cold-infused shrubs, make them with fruits, veggies, a variety of vinegars and sugars - the creativity is endless. I've been experimenting a lot with shrubs lately - and I can assure you this is the first of several posts on the subject. This one incorporates blackberries, seasonal green chile and pomegranate seeds with sugar and pomegranate vinegar... and it works fabulously with many different spirits, in particular whiskey, tequila and rum.And, as you know by my book Edible Cocktails, and my new video show "Edible Cocktails: Kitchen Meets Bar," I am passionate about combining ingredients in both food and drink. This shrub can also be used as a wonderful marinade for meat - especially poultry, such as duck or turkey, and fatty fish, such as salmon. Just scroll down to the photo at the bottom of this post! 
Pome-Berry-Chile Shrubcreated by Natalie Bovis, The Liquid Muse Mixology, Shrub section page 118 in Edible Cocktails1 1/2 cup blackberries1/2 cup sliced fresh green chile1/4 cup pomegranate seeds1 cup white, granulated sugar3/4 cup pomegranate vinegarMix berries, chile and pomegranate seeds with sugar and vinegar. Let sit 15 minutes. Pour mixture into a saucepan, and heat on high high until boiling. Reduce heat. Press berries. Let cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Press berries again. Let cool another 30 minutes. Remove from fridge, strain. PomeBerry Shrub Cocktail7-8 mint leaves (optional)¾ ounce pome-berry-chile shrub½ ounce Pama pomegranate liqueur1 ½ ounces rumsplash Perrier lemonGarnish: blackberry & lemon twist on skewerMuddle mint in the bottom of aCollins glass. Add ice, then pour in shrub, PAMA and rum. Top with lemon flavored Perrier. Garnish with lemon twist and blackberry. Don't forget to save the fruit that you strain out to make your shrub to use on your food!