FRONT BURNER: Cranberry shrub gets pucker power from vinegar

I was first introduced to shrubs — the syrup and the drink made from sweetened fruit juice and vinegar — a few years ago.

Don't let the vinegar scare you — it adds a pleasant puckery tang with no hint of acridity.

What I like best about shrubs is how they can be served simply topped with soda for a festive, flavorful alcohol-free drink or mixed with spirits for a cocktail.

There are two ways to make a shrub -- cold and hot. The cold method calls for combining uncooked fruit and sugar and letting the fruit macerate for a few days. The hot method is the one I've used here. It is much faster and the flavor is a bit more jammy since the mixture is cooked.