Considered to be a modern-day super-food, Pomegranates are naturally sweet, juicy and bursting with flavour.

And it is that flavour that led the ancient Egyptians to consider Pomegranates to be a symbol of ambition and prosperity. So with this in mind, there is no better way to start the year than with a little Pomegranate in your cocktails, and there is no better way to do that than with a Pomegranate shrub.

In case you’re interested, it is believed that the fruit originated in Iran, yet the name ‘Pomegranate’ is derived from the Latin pōmum (meaning apple) and grānātum (meaning seeded). And the word Shrub, on the other hand, derives from the Arabic “sharbah”, which means “a drink”.

So, now that we have the linguistics out of the way, it’s time to combine a Pomegranate with some vinegar for the ultimate cocktail powerhouse.

If you’ve never made a shrub, do not be afraid; they are incredibly simple. They are basically a combination of seasonal fruit, sugar and vinegar. Known as ‘drinking vinegars’, Shrubs are a fairly versatile way to add a zing to your drinks (and a great way to use up left-over fruits)

This Pomegranate shrub recipe has just three ingredients: pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. They are simply shaken up together and then stored in the refrigerator.

While you could juice your own fresh Pomegranate seeds, it can be extremely messy and frankly tedious (but if you do choose to do that, good for you and all power to you). There are, though, easier ways … there are various readily available commercial juice companies that produce 100% Pomegranate juice, so it makes sense to use one of them.

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Ingredients

Yield: 4 1/2 cups

3 cups pomegranate juice

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a large bottle, and shake to combine.