Presented by Susan Belsinger & Tina Marie Wilcox

Tuesday, March 17, 2015
2:00 - 4:00 PM

$30 Preregistration Required
Registration Deadline is March 10, 2015

Shrubs, called switchel or beveridge in colonial North America, are age-old beverages made from syrups composed of fruit, vinegar and a sweetener. They are believed to be of Turkish origin and their use was first recorded in the 1600s. Shrubs were carried across land and ocean by travelers and trade ships and protected sailors from scurvy at sea. These fruit vinegars quenched the thirst of Europeans as well as farmers in the North American colonies and they have secretly been savored for centuries by herbalists across the continents. Currently, they are a popular ingredient used by mixologists in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations.

Enjoy the entertaining history of shrubs Learn the health and flavor benefits of shrubs' ingredients Taste several shrub creations, both homemade and commercial Make an elderberry shrub to take home Glean tips on how to incorporate shrubs' benefits into food and beverages Herbal enthusiasts, Susan Belsinger and Tina Marie Wilcox met in 1996 when Susan presented two herb programs at the Ozark Folk Center, where Tina Marie is herbalist and head gardener. Having herbs, gardening and the pursuit of good food in common, they hit it off, and that was the beginning of a long-distance friendship. Gardening from their respective homes, Susan in Maryland, and Tina Marie in Arkansas, they’ve exchanged a lot of seeds, plants, roots and ideas over the years. They have been collaborating on presentations across the country and writing for national publications like The Herb Companion, Herbs for Health, and GRIT, as well as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Regions Guides together. They coauthored The Creative Herbal Home, which celebrates living the herbal life.