Brief Summary
This video explores the history and preparation of raspberry shrub, a vinegar-based beverage dating back centuries. It details a recipe from Rufus Estes' cookbook, explains the origins of shrub from ancient drinks like posca and sharbat, and traces its evolution through colonial America to its modern resurgence. The video also touches on the historical context of vinegar-based drinks, their use in preserving fruits, and their popularity in different eras, including a mention of Squarespace, the video sponsor, and its role in facilitating online sales for potential future products.
- Raspberry shrub is a vinegar-based beverage with a rich history.
- The recipe involves raspberries, vinegar, and sugar, resulting in a sweet and acidic flavor profile.
- Shrub's origins can be traced back to ancient drinks and preservation methods.
Raspberry Shrub Recipe and Introduction
The video introduces a raspberry shrub recipe from "Good Things To Eat" by Rufus Estes, an African-American celebrity chef. The recipe involves combining raspberries and vinegar, letting it sit overnight, then straining the mixture, adding sugar, boiling, and sealing it. Shrub, in this context, is a syrup mixed with liquids like water or spirits. The host also mentions his Tasting History cookbook, suggesting sparkling water as a mixer and gin as an optional addition.
Ingredients and Preparation
The ingredients needed for the recipe are one quart of fresh raspberries, two cups of white wine vinegar (avoiding dark or distilled vinegar), and three cups of sugar. The preparation involves mashing the raspberries, adding white wine vinegar, and letting the mixture sit for at least 12 hours. After sitting, the mixture is boiled for one minute, strained to remove solids, and then sugar is added. This is simmered for 20 minutes until it turns into a syrup, then cooled.
Historical Context of Vinegar-Based Drinks
Vinegar-based beverages have a long history, with examples like posca from ancient Rome and sekanjabin from Persia. The word "shrub" is related to "sharbat," an Arabic word for drink, which also gave rise to terms like "sherbet," "sorbet," and "syrup." Ancient versions of the drink were sometimes made with citrus and used to preserve fruits, and were even served over snow, similar to modern snow cones.
Shrub in Europe and Colonial America
Shrub became popular in 17th and 18th century England, often mixed with wine, brandy, or rum. In the British Navy, there were recommendations for sailors to consume vinegar. Shrub was also popular in the 13 colonies, where vinegar was used in place of citrus due to its scarcity. Another vinegar-based drink in colonial America was switchel, flavored with ginger and spices.
Evolution and Modern Revival
During the Temperance movement in the mid-19th century, shrubs became non-alcoholic. By the mid-20th century, shrub's popularity declined due to modern preservation methods and the rise of soft drinks. However, in recent years, shrub has made a comeback, appearing on cocktail menus and in cookbooks.
Tasting and Potential Product
The host tastes the raspberry shrub, noting its beautiful color and the need to stir it well due to its syrupy consistency. The drink has a sweet raspberry flavor followed by an acidic punch from the vinegar, similar to a sweet and sour cocktail. The host suggests adding gin for an alcoholic version and mentions the possibility of bottling and selling shrubs on his new website, built with the help of Squarespace.
Squarespace Sponsorship
The host promotes Squarespace, the video's sponsor, highlighting its tools for selling products online, managing orders and inventory, setting up email campaigns, and blogging. He mentions his goal to launch his new website, tastinghistory.com, by the end of the summer and encourages viewers to use Squarespace for their own website needs, offering a discount code.
