Food and Recipes Drinks Lavender-Plum Shrub Recipe Be the first to rate & review! A shrub is a tangy, fruity, vinegar-based drink that's made a comeback in recent years as bartenders across the country continue to revive old-fashioned cocktails. Shrubs are typically made by combining vinegar, sugar, and fruit, and our version combines apple cider vinegar, fresh lavender (find it at your local nursery or grocery stores like Whole Foods), vanilla, and red plums, although you can swap out the plums for peaches or other stone fruits, if you have them on hand. A shrub requires a few days for the flavors to combine—you're basically making a sweet, fruit-infused vinegar—so prepare it in advance and keep it stored in the refrigerator. It will keep, covered and chilled, up to 1 month—but we bet you'll go through it faster than that. Use it as a cocktail mixer with bourbon or rye whiskey and club soda, or use it to flavor club soda on its own. It makes a wonderfully refreshing drink served "hard" or "soft." So when those summer days start getting long and hot, be sure you have this sweet, fruit mixer on hand. We suggest pairing it with our Lemon-Basil Spritzer to complete your cocktail table. You'll be glad you did. By Marian Cooper Cairns Marian Cooper Cairns Marian Cooper Cairns is a food stylist and recipe developer based in Los Angeles with 20 years of experience in the food industry. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on July 16, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Active Time: 20 mins Stand Time: 2 days Chill Time: 1 day Total Time: 3 days 20 mins Yield: Serves 12 (serving size: about 6 oz.) Ingredients 8 red plums, chopped 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 2 (1-in.) fresh culinary lavender sprigs 1 vanilla bean, split 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 2 1/4 cups bourbon or rye whiskey 6 cups club soda lavender sprigs and plum slices, for garnish Directions Toss together 8 red plums, chopped, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 fresh culinary lavender sprigs, and 1 vanilla bean, split, in a medium bowl. Cover tightly, and let stand at room temperature 2 days. Discard lavender sprigs and vanilla bean, and stir in 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar. Cover and chill 24 hours. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a small pitcher, discarding fruit. For each serving, pour 1/4 cup of the syrup over ice in a 12-ounce glass and stir in 3 tablespoons bourbon or rye whiskey. Top each with 1/2 cup club soda. Garnish with lavender sprigs and plum slices. Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Torie Cox Rate it Print