A simple shrub recipe made from huckleberries, figs, sugar, and two types of vinegar. Mixed with ice, fizzy water, and lime, this drinking vinegar tastes like soda for grown-ups.
The best thing about meeting other food bloggers is learning that you are not the only person obsessed with obscure produce. Though many people I know dislike their sweet, seedy flesh and sharp taste, fresh figs are a favorite fruit of mine. I can never resist buying up every variety I can find, then leaving them on the counter where I gaze upon them lovingly every time I walk by. (Unfortunately, the fruit flies that descend on us every summer like them this way too...)
The stars aligned last week when, at a tomato-themed dinner hosted by Princess Tofu via Feastly, Phi mentioned planning her next dinner around figs. And she wanted me to make desserts. (Plural.) Coincidentally, my dear friend and photojournalist Shelley knew of an under-appreciated stand of fig trees in Santa Rosa that were ripe for the picking. Shelley's friend Angela's late mother loved figs and planted a dozen trees on their property, but no one else in the family likes them, so they go to waste year after year. We loaded up the car with sunscreen, hats, and baskets, and headed north.
We picked a lot of figs.
Craving refreshment after a day in the sun, I muddled the ripest figs into a shrub along with some huckleberries that Jay had picked up from our co-op. I added sugar, and red wine and apple cider vinegars, and strained the mixture to make a thick, crimson syrup. The huckleberries add earthy notes which tamp down the sweetness of the figs, and the vinegars work to provide balance and acidity.
Mixed with fizzy water, lime juice, and plenty of ice, this shrub has been a lifesaver during our California Indian Summer.
More Shrub Recipes:
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Huckleberry Fig Shrub {Drinking Vinegar}
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup chopped fresh figs
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen huckleberries
- 3/4 cup organic blonde cane sugar
- 6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (preferably unpasteurized)
- 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ice, fizzy water, and lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- In a large glass jar or bowl, combine the figs, huckleberries, and sugar. Mash lightly, cover tightly, and let sit for 24 hours, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. After 24 hours, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract the liquid syrup. (The solids are good stirred into plain yogurt, or tossed with more fresh fruit and baked into a crisp.) Stir the vinegar into the syrup, pour the syrup into a jar, and store in the refrigerator. The shrub will keep for up to at least a month, and probably longer. To serve, mix a tablespoon or two of syrup into a glass of ice and fizzy water, squeeze in a lime wedge, stir, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh girl, obscure produce is the best!! There are SO many weird things I've discovered since living in Sicily. I just wish I had a girlfriend to geek out over it with!! This looks awesome :)
Alanna says
Oh! That sounds amazing!
Aysegul Sanford says
A drink with fresh, juicy drink sounds (and looks) so good.
Good luck with the Sunday Supper.
Alanna says
Thank you!
Erika K says
This is just the most beautiful set of drink photos I've seen all week!!! I feel like a thirst I didn't even know I had was sated just looking at these. I'm SO EXCITED about this amazing fig dinner--you don't even know. I wish I could go!!! I passed the link on to my parents in case they're able to make it :) I was just reading about gleaning the other day so it made me so happy that you guys were able to go pick those figs and turn them into a phenomenal-sounding event. I want to see pics!!!
Alanna says
Aw, thanks Erika! Thanks for sharing the link with your folks - I wish you could be there!
jaime // the briny says
I had my first fresh fig when I was probably 22 years old and couldn't believe I'd been missing out on them for the entirety of my life previously. I love figs and I wish I had more access to fresh ones! One of the farms in Tallahassee where I used to live made fig vinegar which I bet would be killer in a cocktail like this.
your huckleberry fig shrub looks and sounds perfect! and as always, your photos are so beautiful, Alanna. you make magic happen with light!
Alanna says
Fig vinegar! That would be fabulous here. Thank you so much for the kind words Jaime!!
Dixya says
i can already tell this is going to be a great event!
Alanna says
I sure hope so! ;)
AmandaPaa says
if only i lived in san fran! gosh you guys have fun together. love it. and i would love one of these shrubs, yum.
Alanna says
Someday I hope!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
What a gorgeous shrub, the color is just stunning. Your fig feast sounds fabulous, you all will have the best time!
Alanna says
Thank you so much Laura! Wish you could be there.
Sini says
Gosh, why do I live so far away from SF? This fig inspired dinner is going to be amazing and worth all the hard work!
Alanna says
We wish you could come Sini! Thank you for the vote of confidence. :)
Eileen says
Oh man! I am jealous of your fig-picking excursion! My favorite local fig tree was cut down last spring, so I am even more jealous than I might be otherwise. :) And that shrub sounds super interesting. I hope your dinner goes well!
Alanna says
That's super harsh - I'm sorry Eileen! I've got a jar in the fridge so drop by for one anytime. :)
Denise | TLT says
Wow, these drinks are absolutely gorgeous! And they also make me want to go to San Fransisco even more. Good thing that I'm planning a trip for next Spring... Can't wait!
Alanna says
Oh how exciting!!! I hope we can share a meal together while you're here. Thanks so much for the kind words!
Karishma says
Ah, I am soo jealous of your fig picking. I wish I lived in CA! That drink looks so refreshing, light, and tasty!
Alanna says
Thanks Karishma! We're pretty darn lucky here. :)
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I could down this delectable shrub like there's no tomorrow. Beautiful :)
Alanna says
Aw! Thanks lady! :)
Pang @circahappy says
awwwww.... I would have joined you at Feastly in a heartbeat if I were in SF this month. Though I was sending you hugs & kisses that day, and I am sure you had so much fun.
Anyway, I have long seen three of you played with figs and was curious about this fruit for awhile now. Seeing all of you blogging beautifully about figs make me want to try it someday. Maybe, I will start with this recipe. Gorgeous photos as always, Alanna :)
Alanna says
You are the sweetest - thank you! I'll save you some shrub for us to enjoy when you come back. Soon, right?! We're planning more meals together and will have to drag you along, too. I can't wait for you to meet Phi and Nik. Such nice folks.
Shinee D says
I tried fresh figs for the first time this summer . Wow, they are so good! Looking at your gorgeous pictures of freshly picked figs makes me want to reach in and grab one!
Alanna says
Thank you Shinee! I'm glad to hear you're now a convert. :)
Sully Sullivan says
Thanks for the reminder to watch the produce department for figs. You wouldn't think they'd be hard to come by but Washington DC, where I live, must have a perilously short season.
Fig leaves don't look like they'd cover much. Wonder why Eve bothered. ;)
Alanna says
Aw, bummer! I hope you can rustle some up soon. Jay wanted to take a picture of Catamus with a fig leaf keeping him decent, so there you go. ;)
Carla says
Oh, DELICIOUS! I LOVE drinking vinegar. What a stupendous recipe. :)
Alanna says
Thanks Carla! A gal after my own heart. <3
Oxana says
I love figs and I just can't look at them without a desire to eat them all=)
Alanna says
I am so with you. :)
Alin Cristian says
Thank you for this stunning recipe!! I tried this recipe with cherries instead of figs and huckleberry, white wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar and it works pretty good. For this cherry shrub i reduced the quantities of vinegars at half and i also add in the sirup one sichuan berry, two cloves and three allspice berries.
Alanna says
Ooo, that sounds delicious!