kiwi kollins

2 oz Gin (Bombay Dry)
1 oz Kiwi Shrub (see below)
1 oz Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano (Cocchi)

Build in a Collins glass filled with ice. Stir and top with soda water. Garnish with a kiwi slice and a straw.

After hearing Neyah White talk about shrubs at Tales of the Cocktail last month, I began looking for ideas. I still had a strawberry and a blueberry from last year, and I tried to brainstorm about what other fruits would be delightful in shrub format. When I was at the supermarket, the display of Kiwi fruits looked rather tempting, and then the proverbial light bulb lit up... this would be perfect for the Zespri's Kiwi A-Go-Go Bloggers' Contest!

For a shrub recipe, I used Neyah's non-heat style instead of the simmering one I used last year:

Kiwi Shrub
• 3 large Zespri Kiwi (~1 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Peel Kiwi fruit and break apart by squeezing through fingers. Muddle in sugar until dissolved. Let sit 24 hours at room temperature in a bowl covered by Saran Wrap. After a day, add the vinegar and let sit a week. Strain (may take some force) through a tea towel and then bottle. Store in refrigerator.

For a drink, I went with a tall refreshing one. I modeled it after a Collins where the shrub's vinegar and sugar would mimic the standard Collins' lemon juice and simple syrup, respectively. To add back some citrus flavors, I spiked in some Cocchi Americano (substitute Lillet Blanc).
The Kiwi Kollins had a very robust Kiwi aroma from the freshly cut garnish which supplemented the nose of the drink itself. The sip had a pleasant layer of Kiwi and citrus flavors that mingled well with the gin botanicals. Moreover, the vinegar worked rather well to donate the right amount of crispness to make the drink rather clean and refreshing.