Sunday, August 27, 2017

Time for Shrubbing with Julianne Holmes -- #bookgiveaway

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: Mystery World is a funny place. You meet the nicest people and then discover how wonderfully, delightfully devious they are! Case in point: Julianne Holmes, aka J.A. (Julie) Hennrikus, one of my favorite people in mystery-dom. When I realized she'd never been our guest, I nabbed her, and am delighted that she's joining us today, celebrating the release of Chime and Punishment, the third Clockshop Mystery, earlier this month. Appropriately, we're celebrating with a cocktail. (Or is that a clocktail?) 
Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Chime and Punishment!

Making a Shrub with Julianne Holmes a.k.a. J. A. Hennrikus

In the third book of my clock shop series, Time and Punishment, Pat Reed is experimenting with making shrubs. Anyone who is familiar with the series will know that Pat works at the Cog & Sprocket, Ruth Clagan’s clock shop in Orchard Massachusetts. His wife, Nancy, is on the board of selectmen in this book. His daughter Moira is still running her café, The Sleeping Latte. The book takes place in June, prime shrub season in my opinion.
What, you may ask, is a shrub? I was first introduced to these a couple of years ago by a friend who had over picked blueberries one summer and was experimenting with ways to use them. A shrub is an old-fashioned drink, berry infused vinegar with sugar that is mixed into seltzer water, or added to a cocktail. From what I understand, shrubs go back to colonial times when people were trying to preserve fruit without refrigeration. The tartness of the vinegar, and the sweetness of the berries and sugar make it a very refreshing and interesting drink. Nowadays, drinking vinegars are all the rage, and so I've been experimenting with them more and more. In this post I'll show you a couple of ways of making shrubs. There are many. I'm using blueberries, but they could be made with all different types of fruits.

Cold Process Shrubs: 
In a blender, put a cup of berries, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of raw cider vinegar, 1/3 cup of a cup of honey (or sugar), and some fresh ginger. You could also add lemon juice for extra zing. Blend them all up. Strain it through cheesecloth or through a ricer.  Refrigerate for a couple of days and then uses syrup with soda water, or in a cocktail.
I've also read recipes that have sugar and fruit mashed up and left on the countertop in a bowl for a few days to marinate. Vinegar is then added, and after a few more daysthe fruit is strained and ready to use.

Hot Process Shrubs
There are a couple of ways to make hot infused shrubs as well.
One way is to make a simple syrup, put berries in with the simple syrup, and let it let them pop and boil down a bit. Add the vinegar, strain, and refrigerate.
The recipe I'm using in this post has simple syrup made with vinegar instead of water. It is more potent, and more tasty. Boil the cider and sugar into a syrup (a cup of each), add the berries (2 cups) and boil them down. Strain, or rice, and refrigerate. The shrub will be ready to use in 2 to 4 days.

You can also infuse your shrubs with herbs like rosemary. Play with your vinegar/sugar ratio. Shrubs are a very refreshing way of adding pop to your summer drinks.
Cheers!

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of Chime and Punishment! Got a favorite cocktail? A clock story? Mr. Kitten will choose the winner Tues morning, Aug 29.


Julianne Holmes writes the Clock Shop Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. The first in the series, the Agatha nominated Just Killing Time, debuted in October 2015. Clock and Dagger was released in August 2016, and Chime and Punishment came out this August. As J.A. Hennrikus, her Theater Cop series will debut in the fall of 2017 with A Christmas Peril. She has short stories in three Level Best anthologies, Thin Ice, Dead Calm and Blood Moon. She is on the board of Sisters in Crime, and is a member of MWA and Sisters in Crime New England. She blogs with the Wicked Cozy Authors and Killer Characters. JHAuthors.com T:@JHAuthors I: @jahenn


Chime and Punishment: The clock is ticking on Ruth Clagan’s latest project—the rehab of the town’s clocktower. Years ago a fire destroyed the tower and Ruth inherited the dream of hearing those bells again, along with her shop, the Cog and Sprocket, from her grandfather. She’s determined to make them both work, despite wrenches that are being thrown into the works by her least favorite person, town manager Kim Gray.
A crowd of residents and visitors are excited to see the progress of the tower at a fundraiser for the final stage of the project. When Kim is found crushed under the tower’s bell the list of suspects is so long it could be read around the clock, and includes some of Ruth’s nearest and dearest.
Times awastin’ as Ruth tries to solve another murder in her beloved Orchard while keeping the gears clicking on her dream project.


45 comments:

  1. My clock story is my Dad loves to collect clocks so twice a year, it takes a good portion of time for my husband and I to change them all for him! (Lol)
    karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com

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  2. My clock story is that I collect clocks - hundred of them (they're in an armoire display case). Thankfully I don't wind them - otherwise that would make for a LOT of deafening ticking noises ;) EMS591@aol.com

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  3. I had never heard of a shrub before now. I do not have a favorite cocktail to try them in, but I know someone who would likely love to attempt this recipe. mbradeen@yahoo.com

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    1. They are a lot of fun! Great in seltzer, which is how I usually drink them.

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  4. I have to Shrubs are new to me, but I think I'll have to try them!! Thanks for sharing! I love old clocks have a few. It is crazy to keep them wound up and running, but I love to hear them chime! Dspinlexo@aol.com

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    1. The chimes must be wonderful. Will say, you have to love them--I've met a lot of folks who have inherited clocks that they don't wind because of the chimes.

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  5. Thanks for the Shrub recipes.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  6. Welcome Julianne! I am just reading the new book now – love this series. So glad to have you visiting the blog XO

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    1. Thank you for having me! And thanks for your support--means the world!

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  7. Lovely to see you here! My New England-raised grandmother swore by drinking vinegar and water regularly (and she lived to be 94, so it must have worked)--I wonder if she ever tried shrubs? They sound like the perfect refreshing summer drink.

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    1. Shrubs certainly make the vinegar a bit easier to take. That said, the more I read about the benefits of vinegar, the more I think I need to add that to my daily routine. Thanks for having me on the blog!

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    2. I do the vinegar thing, daily, sweetened with a little local honey. I hope it's helping the joints and other parts!

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  8. My Clock Story...I love clocks and my favorite is a french clock that has an 18th century looking figure in it. I particularly love chiming clocks...My least favorite was a cuckoo that my Uncle sent me from Germany when I was 12. Mainly because the cuckoo drove me crazy and finally ended it all one night when it took a giant leap and got hung in the doors...lol...but I still have it.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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    1. I am intrigued by cuckoo clocks, but I suspect they might drive me crazy too. That said, they are lovely...

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  9. Welcome, Julie! We're delighted to have you here on the blog. No clock story to share, but I do still have the Swiss pin watch my father brought my grandmother when the war in Europe ended and he was released from a Swiss internment camp, where he was one of more than 2,000 American enlisted men forced to remain in Switzerland until the war ended -- his crew landed there when their plane was hit and could not make it back to England. I wind it up every so often, and it still keeps perfect time!

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    1. Wow! Part of the clock/watch love often comes with the story of a the owner who passed it down. This is quite the story!

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  10. When I interned at The Tonight Show, Jay's office was a wall of clocks. They were modern and all did something different on the hour. Birds chirped, dogs barked, songs played. The only thing was, they weren't all synched up so it took about five minutes to get through the cacophony.

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    1. I love that story! Syncing clocks is something I talk about a few times in this series. Is it ever possible?

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  11. This is a series I have on my TBR list. Hope Mr. Kitten picks me. Thank you for the lovely giveaway. pgenest57 at aol dot com

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  12. When I was young we had a unique kitchen clock on the wall for many years. It was accurate, artistic and made me feel all was right with the world. I wish I had kept it since it was meaningful. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. A unique process. I never heard of shrubs in this context before.
    I'll pass as I do not like the taste of vinegar.
    We recently became the owners of a Dutch table clock of my in-laws. It has wonderful chimes. It is currently undergoing a massive maintenance cycle & rebuild. We miss it.
    The story sounds intriguing.
    kckendler at Gmail dot com

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  14. Thanks for this special giveaway. Clocks have always interested me since we are all regimented by them especially when we start school as little kids and then graduate to working. I always used a small travel clock in my bedroom which was luminous and convenient. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  15. I have never heard of shrubs. It sounds like a very interesting drink. One of my favorite cocktails is cranberry and vodka. Thank you for the chance.

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  16. My grandfather used to create grandfather clocks and repair them in the 50s and 60s. I was surprised to find that out and only learned of it when I saw a newspaper clipping about it.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  17. Oh. Shrubs as opposesd to shrubberies! What a relief. No clock stories really. But I love a good mojito. I will have to keep an eye out for your series. Sounds like fun.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  18. I used to have a fascination with wrist watches. I owned as many as 30+ at any given time & wore the watch that matched what I was doing that day. Sport watches, dress watches, waterproof watches, etc.. thanks for the chance to win. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com.

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  19. First, congratulations on your latest release, Julie. I can remember my mom infusing raspberries into vinegar in this way but much Mom was a tea totaler so never used hers in a drink. I remember having various berry infused salad dressings only and they were phenomenal. Hank you for my trip down Memory Lane today. Thank you for the giveaway....it would be wonderful to be chosen by Mr. Kitten!!! 😉
    Cynthia. ceblain (AT) tmlponline (DOT) net

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  20. I wonder what someone would say if I said I was serving shrubs. The bears are out, so we are low on fresh berries, but I would love to try to make one with store-bought. My watch story is that I was in Galveston and had my watch with my rings attached to it in my shorts pocket, and decided to go into the water. When I got out of the water, no watch and rings -- I was devastated. Miraculously, they washed up right to where we had set up on the beach 2 days later! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  21. Posted for Marlene -- Blogger won't let her in today! ezellmarlene@gmail.com My parents brought a cuckoo clock back from Germany. Our Yorkshire Terrier, Gumdrop, barked at it every time it cuckooed.

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  22. Hey Mr. Kitten, please pick me! This looks like a really fun book!

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    1. Martha, a reminder: Mr. Kitten needs an email address to consider you!

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  23. I have never heard of Shrubs.... cocanvaz@gmail.com

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  24. My mom had a cuckoo clock the bird came out and it went cuckoo! My dad had a train clock that went around the click and whistled.donamaekutska7@gmail.com thank you

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  25. Love these clock stories! And a reminder to folks--shrubs can be all sorts of fruits. Really delicious!

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  26. Welcome, Julianne! Really enjoyed your post. Every so often, raw apple cider vinegar and honey make their way down my throat. I'll have to try your very creative ways to incorporate vinegar into ye olde health routine. Also thrilled to learn about your new books in both series. Happy congrats from me and Marc! ~ Cleo

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  27. My grandfather loved trains & had a train clock that whistled on the hour. I used to love seeing that clock on the kitchen wall every time I visited. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  28. Congrats on your new release, Julianne! Looking forward to reading "Chime and Punishment", this is a great series. My favorite cocktail is a Moscow Mule, it's very refreshing. The shrub is new to me, but it looks like something I would like to try.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. My favorite cocktail is one that is served at a local Portland (Oregon) bar. The bar is called the Driftwood Room and is part of a historic Portland hotel. The cocktail is called the Elizabeth Taylor and is made of champagne and creme de violet. It is the most gorgeous violet color I have ever seen and tastes good as well! Thanks for the chance to win! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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  30. Thanks for the shrub recipes. I never heard of them before. Have any of you fermented drink lovers tried kombucha? You can buy many commercial varieties or make your own. The description of the shrub drinks sound similar to kombucha. My current favorite is ginger berry by GTs Kombucha. Enjoy!

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  31. Love the idea of a shrub, since I don't normally drink alcohol. patwalkerp(at)gmail(dot)com

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  32. Congratulations to our winner, Dee Sprinkle, and thanks to all of you -- and the fabulous Julianne Holmes, aka JA Hennrikus -- for joining in the fun! Cheers!

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