Courtesy Christine Dionese, author, Garden Eats blog
Dionese developed this cocktail using garlic scapes and thyme to make a shrub syrup. Shrubs were used during colonial times as a preservative. Garlic scapes are the long stalks that are removed from hardneck garlic plants to redirect the plant’s energy into fattening up the bulbs.
Published: April 12, 2016
Ingredients
Directions
In a mixing glass filled with ice, add gin and wine, and stir for about 30 seconds. Fill a tall glass with crushed ice, and add lime juice. Add the chilled gin/wine mixture to tall glass. Top with shrub and soda water, if desired. Garnish with an orange twist.
Garlic Scape & Thyme Shrub Syrup
Shrub Syrup Directions
Crush scapes and thyme, and add to a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
After several hours, the scapes and thyme should be surrounded by juice and syrup. It will appear jam-like.
Strain syrup from solids, pressing lightly to expel juice from the remaining herbs. Scrape the remaining sugar stuck to the bowl into the syrup. This sugar will settle to the bottom of the mixture.
Add vinegar to the syrup. Whisk to combine until sugar is completely dissolved. Funnel into a clean bottle. Cap, shake vigorously and refrigerate.
Check periodically to be sure that the sugar is dissolving by looking at the bottom. If you see sugar, shake. Eventually, the vinegar will take care of the granules.
