Well, I didn’t quite get to writing up the Cranberry Shrub right away as I promised. Since Friday I have made cornbread and orange scented cranberry sauce though. And the brine for the turkey, although I still don’t have space in the refrigerator so I can store it. It’s going to have to stay on the back stoop, the lid tied on with kitchen twine, so the raccoons don’t try to wash something in it or tip it out. There was a huge one walking along the fence last week.
I’ve hung some pictures that have been leaning against a wall for months and scrubbed the revolting front hall rug. Dusted the bookshelves by the stair. Polished the fiddly silver salt cellars and pepper shakers, even though I-never-in-a-million-years would season something with pre-ground pepper. Then I washed something sticky from the pewter candlesticks. One good side effect of having a serious dinner at your house is that you see all the grubby parts and get around to dealing with them. One thing I haven’t gotten to yet is the pie crust. First thing tomorrow then.
You can fit the shrub almost anywhere in your plan, it’s quick.
Cranberry Shrub
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries (a bag of cranberries is usually 12 ounces)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp grapefruit zest
- 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice
- Put all the ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and over medium heat, bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat and keep at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes until most of the cranberries have burst.
- Strain and discard pulp. Chill. Keep for up to three months
What do you do with it?! For children, mix it with club soda or ginger ale – 1 part shrub to 2 parts fizzy stuff. For grown-ups, it’s even more fun. Substitute 2 parts prosecco for the ginger ale. Or go even more crazy. Add some gin and several muddled mint leaves and top up with ginger ale. Or add a squeeze of lime, some gin, a splash of club soda and garnish with a twist of lime peel. Make a version of kir with white wine. There’s a lot of room to play. Have fun!