Shrubs: An Old Fashioned Drink for Modern Times Hardcover – October 6, 2014

Book arrived in pristine condition and will prove to be a very interesting read.

I happened into Shrubs by ordering a bourbon mixed drink at a fantastic Louisville BBQ joint (Feast BBQ). The taste was wonderful and unusual - and I know what bourbon tastes like. So, I looked at the drink menu and sure enough, the recipe included "shrub." I had no idea what that was but it was the ingredient which really made the cocktail. Feast made it's own shrub and I had difficulty finding it. One local store where I bought commercially produced shrub, stopped carrying it. I then happened onto Mr. Dietsch's book. This is where I needed to be all along. The book contains numerous recipes, booze and no booze, apples, cinnamon, ginger, berries, including Kiwis. The ingredients and the few tools you need are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Much cheaper than buying the commercially available brands (great stuff but definitely pricey). An attractive and well presented book. And, contrary to one reviewer, I've made three of the recipes and the results were outstanding every time. One of my efforts changed up almost every ingredient in the recipe (different type of sugar and vinegar) and the result was still good. All subjects are covered here: history of vinegar drinks; where to find ingredients; and names, addresses and reviews of commercial shrub producers. This book is all you need!

Beautiful book is nicely crafted. The book begins with a brief historical perspective, and explains the preservative qualities of Shrubs. The opening section is on traditional shrubs which contain a huge variety of fruit, sugar, vinegar, botanical herbs, and/or vegetables. The recipes can be used for home-made/natural family friendly beverages. And recipes pledge that the Shrub will last in the fridge anywhere from a week to a year. The rear section is a Cocktail recipe section. Using Shrubs and combinations of booze, wine, and aperitifs, there are some exciting flavors to be explored. I expected a good cocktail recipe book, but was pleasantly surprised that it is more. Creates a perspective shift. As I look at basil in the garden, or an Orange on the tree, it is more than fruit or an herb. They are ingredients for a refreshing shrub or a new cocktail. It has raised the standards for filling my glass.

Love, love LOVE this book! Got it because I was looking for non-alcoholic alternatives for cocktails and shrubs deliver. Very easy to make and just great to have two or three innthe fridge to mix with soda water...or to mix with alcohol to make incredible cocktails that will wow your guests. Highly recommend!

I only buy books these days that I repetitively check out from the library. I found myself checking this one out time and time agin, especially in the summer and fall when there is an abundance of fruits about. Shrubs are an excellent preservation method. There are so many delicious recipes in here. The cold extraction method detailed here really is the best. Once you've got the basic method down you can experiment to create your own fruit/herb/spice combinations.

I am so impressed with this book! I am obsessed with shrubs at the moment, and have looked at a number of books on the subject. This one has great and enticing photography. Most importantly, there are great, straight-forward recipes. Most recipes are with ingredients fairly easy to locate. I have already made a couple, and am looking forward to making more. I recommend this book for a curious beginner, or an avid fan. Summer is bound to be better with this book around :)

Some of the recipes seem like they could be a bit more thoughtful about which vinegar to select for a given infusion, but once you try a few you'll be inspired to come up with your own combinations.

I volunteer in a NSPS Historic Site Hearth Kitchen. A fellow volunteer introduced us to Shrubs. I looked up books and found this one. It has about 55 different recipes and I am working my way through them. That is to say, making and trying them. So far they are all very good indeed. The author encourages you to vary the recipes to your taste. There is a lot of information on the history of Shrubs also. Shrubs are a bit like the "Gatorade of Old". Very nice book with tons of color photos. I am very pleased. We are now making Shrubs at the historic site meals.

Made a few shrubs and they're very unique and tasty

Amazing resource for creating shrubs and for using them to create unique and locally sourced soda drinks and cocktails. The book includes some of the earliest recorded recipes for shrubs, as well as modern uses and innovative cocktails that rely on the tangy, sweet flavour of shrubs. The book also provides a detailed history of shrubs, which is completely fascinating. I can't recommend this book enough.

I have made lots of shrubs from this recipe book. The combinations are very tasty. Beautiful pictures and a pleasure to read and follow the recipes.

informative and interestingcan't wait to try all the recipes!

Recommend! It’s a quick and fun read, filled with delicious shrubby recipes, both alcoholic, and not.