Make Delicious Sweet and Sour Bushes Using This Simple Proportion
The bushes may sound a little odd, but the combination of hot vinegar and juicy fruits is fantastic refreshing. They decorate any cocktail they touch, or they can stand on their own with a little soda water. You don’t even need a recipe: just remember “1: 2: 2”.
There are several different ways to make a bush, but since it’s around 1 million degrees outside, we’re going to focus on the “cold” method that doesn’t require a stove. You will need 1 pound of fruit, 2 cups of sugar, and 2 cups of vinegar . Sprinkle sugar on the sliced (and possibly lightly crushed) fruit and cover with a tea towel. You can even add some herbs or spices. Leave it on the counter for a couple of days and when you return you will find a fruit that floats positively in its own juice. Strain and mix the syrup with any vinegar of your choice (Food 52 recommends apple cider vinegar), but keep in mind that more acidic fruits will require less vinegar than anything sweet like melon.
Your shrub is now ready to be stored in the refrigerator for at least a month, or for pouring ice and refilling with sparkling water. (Or, you know, real sparkling beer. Also gin.)
How to make a bush (aka drinking vinegar) without a prescription