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Dry. Crystal-Free. January is officially in its second week, and if week one was about clearing the palate, week two is about building it back — slowly, intentionally, and with flavor that actually satisfies. Enter the shrub.
Shrubs — those old-world drinking vinegars — have become my new favorite accoutrement for nonalcoholic cocktails. They bring acid, depth, and structure, the same way a good vermouth or amaro does. I am in love with shrub! They’re one of the easiest ways to bring depth to a drink — exactly the kind of signal our brains respond to. And a small amount goes a long way, making it a smart, intentional use of sugar (or not) with real payoff. What I’m looking for in Dry January is complexity: something that catches my attention, slows me down, and gives me a reason to savor. A shrub does that beautifully.
Make Your Own Shrub
I’ve been shrubbing around lately, combining all kinds of things — usually fruit, vinegar and spices of choice. Over the holidays I made Cranberry Shrub (with sugar – see above) and just this week I’m experimenting on a Cinnamon Cardamom Pear Shrub (with monk fruit). Add a tablespoon or two into your bevvie, whether warm or cold. Hot tea + shrub work fantastic for January. Who needs alcohol anymore?
Sweeten it Without Sugar
You can sweeten shrubs with a variety of choices. Monk fruit is a natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from a Southeast Asian melon, 100 – 250 times sweeter than table sugar. It contains no calories, carbohydrates, or real sugar, meaning it doesn’t raise blood glucose levels. It works well in a shrub, you don’t use much, and the taste is really good.
Shrubs don’t take long to make, but if you want something even faster, try a few shakes of your favorite vinegar — all by its lonesome — into a glass of soda water or tea. My favorite is this Rose vinegar I recently bought at Whole Foods in Palo Alto. Sour with sweet — it’s the fastest track to a nonalcoholic drink with structure and intrigue.
Pear Cardamom Shrub (with monk fruit)
Here’s a quick recipe using monk fruit — feel free to substitute with whatever you have at home, but because monk fruit is so much sweeter, you most likely will add more.
2 ripe pears, diced
4–6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
(champagne vinegar works too for a lighter, more aromatic shrub)
2 – 5 Tbls. granulated monk fruit blend, to taste
Optional additions: lemon peel, vanilla extract, fresh ginger slices, cinnamon stick
Add pears and crushed cardamom pods to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pears soften and release juice. Keep heat on low and add 1 tablespoon of juice (like apple or pear) or water if you need extra liquid.
When the pears are soft and their juice has released, turn off the heat and stir in monk fruit followed by the vinegar plus any optional additions.
Transfer to a jar. Cool completely, and refrigerate 24–48 hours to let the cardamom bloom.
Strain out pears and spices, pressing gently to release any juice. Store refrigerated up to 3–4 weeks.
How to Use
- Sparkling: 1–2 tbsp shrub + chilled soda water
- Tea boost: Add a splash into chamomile, rooibos, or green tea
- Mocktail: Pair with pear juice + soda + lemon twist
- Cocktail: Excellent with gin, vodka, or apple brandy
If you are in need of some new teas for Dry January, take a road trip to the City and check out Rainbow Grocery. It has an extensive selection of creative blends sold in bulk at good prices.
