Smoked Pineapple and Ginger Shrub
In the colder months I’ve always turned to ginger rather than the traditional over the counter meds. Back home it was tea, hot and raw, strong enough to wake up the wairua. It’s an old healer, good for the chest, the stomach, and the skin. This shrub carries that medicine, pineapple for fruit reasons, ginger for health, a little smoke for richness. It’s cheaper than half the things you’ll find on the pharmacy shelf and better for you too. Perfect for Dry Jan, or just when you want something that tastes on it.
Ingredients
• 1 ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped
• 100g brown sugar
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
• 50ml Maple smoked pineapple vinegar
• 200ml soda water
• Ice
• Fresh mint
• 30ml pineapple syrup (optional)
Method
Put the pineapple, sugar, and ginger into a Kilner jar. Mix, seal, and leave at room temperature for 24–48 hours to draw out the juices. Strain through a fine sieve or muslin and refrigerate.
Pour 50ml of the shrub base over ice with the pineapple vinegar top with soda, finish with a sprig of mint.
Chef Notes
This shrub is flexible. Swap the pineapple for orange or tamarillo in winter for more depth. Use raw honey instead of sugar for a smoother sweetness and extra antibacterial power. Add turmeric root if you’re fighting a cold this pairs beautifully with ginger and brings that golden colour and earthy heat.
If you want more tang, top it with kombucha instead of soda water. For something soothing, warm it gently and serve it like a tonic with a slice of lemon and mint. A few extra drops of the Smoked pineapple vinegar turn it into a daily gut-health pick-me-up.
Keep it in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to a week.
