Shrubs and Shims from SHED in Healdsburg

Truth be told, I had no idea what a shim was.

A shrub? Yes. I’d actually made some shrubs at home. 

So when I was invited to a shims and shrubs workshop, I jumped at the chance, assuming that the shrub I knew had to be somewhat related to a shim that I was unfamiliar with. 

Plus, this workshop was at the Healdsburg SHED. I literally had just discovered this place no more than a month before this media workshop invitation arrived in my inbox. The moment I saw it in some of my travel research, it immediately went on my must-visit list. This seemed like the perfect excuse to take the short drive up to California wine country.

So let’s start with shrubs. If you are unfamiliar, these are slightly sweetened, often fruity, drinking vinegars. The first time I encountered one was at a restaurant in Jack London Square when I was visiting my husband here prior to our permanent move.

Apple cider shrub was an ingredient in the cocktail I ordered. I fully admit that I thought it was a shrub, as in a bush. Nope.

A simple search will show you that there are so many ways you can create a shrub. It’s a really simple process. Allow fruit to macerate in sugar. Collect the juice and dilute it with vinegar (most often apple cider or champagne vinegar). Let it sit in the fridge a couple weeks and it’s ready to use. 

Mix it with soda water for a tangy drink, or stir a few splashes in a cocktail. So far I’ve made a blueberry, lemon, ginger shrub that was pretty tasty. 

SHED sells handcrafted shrubs and my favorite was featured in the workshop. As was explained in the class, shrubs can be used to make creative cocktails without using spirits. I’ve provided a great example for you below using one of my new favorite ciders from Golden State Cider. More on that in a bit. 

Speaking of creative cocktails, let’s get to the definition of a shim. Simply put, it’s a low alcohol cocktail. 

Dinah Sanders has written a wonderful book called, The Art of the Shim: Low-Alcohol Cocktails to Keep You Level. She was at the workshop to talk with us about this type of drink and the history behind it. This type of stuff is exactly why I love the art of cocktails, so much history. We were given a copy of the book, which I was very excited about. I highly recommend grabbing a copy if you’d like to learn more about shims. 

We dined on delicious bites paired perfectly with the shims and shrub-based cocktails featured. Like these Pickled Deviled Eggs and Carrots with the Pomme d’ Or (Quince Shrub with Jardesca). 

Another favorite was this Tête de Cochon (head cheese) with Green Strawberries, Szechuan Chile Oil and Salted Plum Vinegar. It was paired with the shim, Duke’s Son, with sherry, sweet vermouth and orange bitters. 

During the workshop, we were also introduced to the Jardesca that I mentioned above. It’s a California Aperitiva; a custom blend of dry and sweet California white wines and an eau de vie with 10 different botanicals. My husband and I both left raving about it and we plan to savor the bottle we were gifted. Not only was it delicious in the Pomme d’Or, but we love it by itself over ice. It’s everything you could want in a simple summer sipper. 

Since the workshop, everyone I have told about it has the same reaction. It’s something like — Oh, SHED! I’ve been wanting to go there! Now that I have, I can highly recommend it. Creative, locally sourced food, drinks like shrubs, wines and coffee, and unique kitchenwares. After our cocktail tasting I had to head down and buy a couple of the cute glasses used in the class. You’ll see them in photos soon!

SHED was kind enough to grant me permission to share my favorite drink from the workshop with you, Windfall. Light, refreshing and mildly spiced. It uses ginger, turmeric, apple cider vinegar shrub and Golden State’s Mighty Dry Cider. 

My favorite time of the year to make shrubs is berry season, so I plan to have a recipe for one soon, until then you can enjoy this cocktail, grab a copy of The Art of the Shim, and take a trip to the SHED for your own shim and shrub adventure. And don’t stop there. SHED hosts so many great workshops all summer long. You can find the details on their events page. 

Windfall

Reprinted with permission from SHED

Ingredients

8 oz. fresh ginger
2 oz. fresh turmeric
12 oz. organic sugar
1 tsp sea salt
12 oz. raw cider vinegar

How to make the shrub:

Coarsely chop the ginger and turmeric, then pulse in a food processor with sugar and sea salt.

Transfer to a non-reactive container and stir once per day for three days.

Add apple cider vinegar and refrigerate for two weeks, agitating once a day.

Strain off the liquid and store. [I store mine in the fridge.]

How to build the drink:

In a 12 oz. glass filled with ice, pour one ounce of shrub syrup and finish with Golden State Cider.

Stir and garnish with fresh herbs. 

Disclosure: The shims and shrubs workshop mentioned in this post was a media event. I attended free of charge and received some of the items mentioned in this post in a goodie bag at the end of the event. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so. 

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