Cranberry Tangerine Shrub

Holiday parties are always a bit of a juggling act. So many guests, and so many preferences! But I can help you with the drinks, especially if you’ve got guests abstaining from alcohol who still want something fun and exciting to drink. 

This cranberry tangerine shrub recipe beats the pants off of water or plain old juice when it comes to a holiday beverage, and, for the guests who are looking for cocktails, this easily mixes up with spirits too!

This Shrub Is for Drinking

Let’s tackle the name first: no, this “shrub” has nothing to do with those found on your front lawn. A shrub is a hundreds of years old term that actually encompasses a number of techniques to make and enjoy a vinegar-based beverage. For today’s recipe, we’ll be focusing on shrubs as a drinking vinegar that preserves fruit juice. For a deeper dive on shrubs and their history, I highly recommend you read the book Shrubs by Michael Dietsch.

Shrubs can be made with any fruit, or combination of fruit, herbs, spices—you name it. If there’s a fruit combo you love eating together, chances are you’ll love it in a shrub too; they’re wonderfully versatile like that. For winter and holiday parties, I like to go with what’s in season. Cranberries and tangerines will likely be available in your grocery store at this time of year, and are a great combination that pairs well with holiday foods, too. 

The cranberries provide a strong tartness that is balanced by the sweet tangerines. If you have trouble finding tangerines where you are, you can sub in a sweet orange like a navel or cara cara. (Steer clear of the more bitter varieties or you’ll need to add additional sugar to your recipe.) And with the cranberries, fresh or frozen is fine, as you’ll be blending them for the recipe

Go With Good Vinegar

Since a shrub has minimal ingredients (usually), the quality and type of each ingredient is important. Just as the fruits can vary for a shrub, so can the vinegar. Use a high quality vinegar here, as you’ll be drinking it! Many shrubs can use vinegars such as red wine, apple cider, or champagne, but do not use distilled white vinegar; it’s harsh and not pleasant here. For this recipe I use apple cider vinegar, but I encourage you to play with different vinegar types to see which are the most appealing for your palette. 

Ways to Serve This Shrub

Shrubs can be served up a variety of ways, and can stay non-alcoholic, or can serve as the base of a fun cocktail. The recipe below is booze-free, but if you want to change that, a white rum, vodka, or even a sparkling wine can be substituted for the sparkling water. I like to serve this in a highball glass, with lots of ice and a few cranberries skewered as a garnish. Sugared cranberries are also nice if you have them on hand, and make for a festive garnish for parties. 

Festive N/A Drinks

• NAgroni
• Virgin Pomegranate-Citrus Sangria
• Winter Spiced Orange Mocktail
• Hot Mulled Cider
• Pear-Ginger Shrub