The peaches at our local market blanketed the produce section with a sweet aroma. Not being able to withstand this temptation, I filled my basket and headed to the check out. Once I was unloading my groceries I realized I may have gone over board.

Sure, Ian and I love peaches, but as we looked at each other we both knew I made a mistake. There was no way we could eat them all before they went bad.

After scrolling through Pinterest and flipping through cookbooks, I settled on trying out a new infused drink – a peach shrub. This concoction involves making a fruit syrup and diluting it with vinegar. I heard shrubs can add a refreshing twist to traditional cocktails and I couldn’t resit using it as a base for the classic gin and tonic.

The flavor combinations for shrubs are endless. Have fun playing around with different mixtures of fruits and vinegar! You can even get creative on how you use your shrub. Keep it simple and sip on it with club soda or add it to your favorite cocktail recipe!

Peach Shrub

Ingredients:

• 3 peaches, washed and cut into even slices
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup champagne vinegar

Recipe:

• Fill glass mason jar with peach slices and add the sugar
• Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the sugar is evenly distributed
• Place (on a windowsill?) for 2 days, shake daily
• Open the jar and strain out the peach slices
• Add the champagne vinegar to the peach syrup
• Stir until well incorporated and store in the fridge up to a week

Peach Shrub Gin and Tonic

Ingredients:

• 4 oz tonic water
• 2 oz gin
• 2 oz peach shrub

Recipe:

• Combine the gin and peach shrub in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice
• Shake for 20 seconds and strain into a tumbler
• Pour in the gin and enjoy