Why it works: Cider and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,431 recipes. Both carry 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol, which smells smoky, clove. The science ↓
Raspberry Shrub
Ingredients
Directions
Make the infusion
Soak 3 quarts of very ripe berries in 1 quart of pure cider vinegar for 24 hours.
Strain and add 3 quarts fresh berries to the liquid.
Let stand 12 hours.
Strain again.
Sweeten and bottle
Add 1 pound sugar to each pint of the liquid.
Boil for 20 minutes.
Bottle.
Serve
When using, put 1 tablespoonful into a glass of water.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 2 of 4 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Cider | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cider + vinegartop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,431 recipes
Shared aroma: 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol (smoky, clove).
-
Vinegar + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Cider + sugartop 27% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,308 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Raspberries (in the method)
- Provide the main flavor and color of the shrub.
- Cider vinegar
- Provides the sharp acidity that defines the shrub and helps preserve it.
- Sugar
- Balances the vinegar's sharpness and adds sweetness, helping the syrup keep well.
The step that matters
Boil for 20 minutes. Boiling after adding sugar dissolves it fully into the liquid and thickens the syrup slightly. Stop too early and the sugar may not fully dissolve, leaving a grainy, unevenly sweet shrub.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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