Stephanie Alexander, Shrubs, and an 18-Month Dinner Party Project
I went on an unexpected Stephanie Alexander deep-dive last year, which led me from place to place, and then somewhere rather wonderful.
It started with one of her newer books - The Cook's Table - which I bought at a book launch - and it went onto a shelf for a while. For some reason, this year I decided to work through all the menus over 18 months as a bit of a project. Not because I needed recipe inspiration exactly, in fact I'd prefer to make a dinner party on my own terms, but because I wanted to push myself beyond my usual repertoire, the things I'm usually drawn to. I love planning menus for gatherings, getting excited about the combinations and techniques, but I tend to circle back to the same flavour territories. Stephanie's menus take me places I wouldn't naturally go. Old fashioned places - dishes with more technique.
One thing led to another, as it does. I read her biography, then found myself comparing Jeff's copy of The Cook's Companion to my older edition, hunting for the changes and updates. That's when I spotted it - tucked away in the pages - an Orange Vinegar Cordial recipe.
A shrub! Right there in the pages of Australia's most iconic cookbook. She calls in Vinegar Cordial.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a shrub is essentially a drinking vinegar - vinegar, something sweet, and fruit, herbs, or spices in various combinations. They're having a resurgence now, appearing on cocktail menus and in wellness circles, but they're actually an ancient preservation technique. Before reliable refrigeration, fruit shrubs were a way to capture peak-season flavours and keep them drinkable for months.
The acidity does more than preserve though - it creates this bright, complex flavour that's neither too sweet nor too sharp. Mixed with still or sparkling water, they're so refreshing.
Seeing Stephanie's recipe is a reminder that Shrubs weren't always trendy pH balancing drinks - they were historical, practical, delicious solutions that home cooks have been making for generations.
So here's my version of an orange vinegar cordial - a shrub that captures the brightness of citrus season and keeps it singing in your glass well into winter.
Orange Vinegar Cordial (Shrub)
Inspired by Stephanie Alexander's recipe in The Cook's Companion
A vibrant drinking vinegar that transforms fresh oranges into a concentrate for sodas, cocktails, or simply mixed with cold water on a hot day.
Yield: Approximately 750ml
Time: 24-48 hours maceration + 10 minutes active
Storage: 6+ months refrigerated
Ingredients:
- 4-5 large oranges (about 1kg), preferably organic
- 400g white sugar
- 400ml apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 2-3 star anise (optional)
- 6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional)
Equipment:
- Large glass or ceramic bowl
- Fine-mesh strainer or muslin cloth
- Clean glass bottles for storage
Method:
- Wash oranges thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest in wide strips, avoiding the white pith. Juice all the oranges - you should have about 500ml juice.
- In your bowl, combine orange zest, juice, and sugar. Stir well to start dissolving the sugar. Add star anise and cardamom if using.
- Cover and leave at room temperature for 24-48 hours, stirring occasionally. The sugar will fully dissolve and the zest will release its oils.
- Strain mixture through fine mesh or muslin, pressing gently to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
- Add vinegar to the strained citrus syrup and stir well to combine.
- Pour into clean bottles and refrigerate.
To serve: Mix 1 part cordial with 4-5 parts still or sparkling water, adjusting to taste. For cocktails, add 30ml to gin or vodka with ice and top with soda.
Notes: The cordial will mellow and develop over the first week. If it's too sharp initially, let it rest for a few days. The spices are entirely optional - the orange and vinegar are the stars here.
Stephanie Alexander's original recipe appears in The Cook's Companion (various editions).
