Crabapple Shrub

vegan · gluten free  · non GMO

Background:  Crab apple oh Crab apple.  Ne’er has a fruit been so idolized by the likes of Thoreau and Shakespeare.  Tart squared, but powerfully sweet if you let it mature. Creative mixologists keep this at the ready for a point of flavor in any drink. Crabapple favors floral spirits. On the culinary side it makes for a delish dressing of the first order. This fruit, along with it’s bigger cousin the “common apple”, is part of the rose family (you read that correctly). It emanates a sort of magic when combined with other fruits. Some folks in the Hudson Valley like it as a tasty garnish on fruit bowls. Makes a great tart soda, with tingly apple finish.

Our variety of Crab apple is unnamed as it comes from an orchard that was planted over 120 years ago. Crab apples are often used as a pollinator tree in commercial orchard

Deeper history-  Crab like apples appeared in England in the early 80; pippen style apples were introduced from France a few centuries later. Crab apples are thought to be early varieties of the sweeter apples we know today.  Area of origin is thought to be Kazakhstan and Siberia. North American crab apples are thought to be sweet apple hybrids or crosses that have reverted to earlier genetic expression.

Health: Crab apples are very high in malic and citric acids.  They are also very high in natural pectin and Vit C.  All very important for healthy digestion, liver function, and immune function.  Early herbals purport that crab apples were harvested, fermented into a liquid and used as a detox agent.

Uses:  Use as a natural apple bitter to create sharp flavors that can’t be beat! As it ages even in your fridge it develops maltiness that dresses any potatoes dish or snack. It was a preferred apple to make vinegars in old England as they were abundant and free.

We extract the flavor and juices from fruit harvested here in the Finger Lakes region whenever possible. This helps produce the vibrant color and flavor of our small-batch shrub. There are no flavor enhancers, preservatives, or colorants. Ever! Taste the Finger Lakes Harvest difference!