In colonial times, the fruit shrub was a favorite concoction, blended with sparkling water to make thirst-quenching summer drinks, or poured over meats as a marinade or cooking sauce. In his 1861 novel, “Elsie Venner,” American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, ” … ‘but I do feel thirsty,’ said the poor lady, ‘and I do think a glass of shrub would do my throat good; it’s dreadful dry.'”

Shrubs are made by preserving fresh fruit in vinegar and adding sweetener to create a concentrated syrup. The result is intensely sweet and fruity, with a surprising kick of tartness.