Spiced Plum Shrub with Rosemary

Start by preparing the plums. Wash them thoroughly under cold running water, then dry them with a paper towel. Cut each plum in half along the natural indentation, and then remove the pit by prying it out with a small knife or your finger. Cut the plum halves into smaller pieces, such as quarters. You don't need to peel them – the skin will give the syrup a beautiful, deep color.

Prepare a large, clean jar (with a capacity of about 1 liter). Place a layer of chopped plums at the bottom of the jar, then generously sprinkle sugar over it. Repeat these steps, creating alternating layers of fruit and sugar, until all ingredients are used up. The last layer should be sugar. Between the layers, insert sprigs of fresh rosemary. Gently press down the contents of the jar with a spoon.

Seal the jar tightly and place it in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours. During this time, the sugar will draw out the juice from the plums, creating a thick, aromatic syrup. Every few hours (e.g., morning and evening), you can gently shake the jar to help the sugar dissolve faster. After this time, you will notice that the fruits have significantly reduced in volume and are floating in a large amount of dark liquid.

Prepare a bowl and place a fine-mesh sieve on top. Pour the entire contents of the jar into the sieve, allowing the syrup to drain into the bowl. Using the back of a spoon or a spatula, gently press the fruit to extract as much juice as possible. The fruit that remains in the sieve is edible – you can add it to oatmeal, yogurt, or use it as a filling for a pie.

Pour the recovered plum syrup into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the apple cider vinegar, the cinnamon stick, and, if using, the star anise. Gently stir everything with a wooden spoon.

Place a saucepan over low heat and warm the mixture, stirring occasionally. Your goal is to dissolve any remaining sugar and combine the flavors, not to bring the syrup to a boil. Heat it for about 10-15 minutes until it is hot but not boiling. Delicate bubbles may appear on the surface, but the liquid should not be vigorously bubbling.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely at room temperature. Once it is cold, strain it through a sieve into a clean, sterilized glass bottle or jar to remove the spices. Seal tightly and store in the refrigerator.

To prepare a refreshing drink, fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in 2-3 tablespoons (about 30-40 ml) of the prepared plum syrup. Top off the glass with chilled sparkling water (about 150-200 ml). Gently stir with a teaspoon to combine the ingredients. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary and a thin slice of plum.