Cucumber-lemon shrub

This shrub was part of our Pimm’s Month in April 2022. It’s a great way to add fresh cucumber flavor to drinks and can stand in as the acid component in place of citrus. It’s also an important component in our Club Pimm’s Bar, an entertaining concept that capped off Pimm’s Month.

INGREDIENTS

1 heaping cup English cucumber pieces (about ½ a cucumber)
3 lemon wheels (about ½ a lemon)
1 cup (215g) sugar 
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup white wine vinegar or white Modena vinegar

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Yield: 1¾-2 cups

Mix sugar and salt in a small bowl. In a large jar, layer cucumber pieces, lemon slices, and sugar-salt mixture. Let sit for 24 hours, making sure the first few hours happen at room temp, and storing in fridge thereafter. Gently agitate every so often if possible. After 24 hours, add vinegar and stir to encourage the sugar to dissolve. Let meld in the fridge another 24 hours or up to 3 days. Stir again and fine strain the solids out. Bottle shrub and store in the fridge. Keeps for a minimum of several months.