Abstaining from alcohol during the holidays should not mean being relegated to the outer limits of soda and sparkling water.
For those hosting parties, shrub can step up to the plate. Shrub _ basically a blend of fruit juice, sugar and vinegar (usually apple cider vinegar) _ is a tangy syrup that mimics the raciness and bite of alcohol without the intoxication.
With top-form pears plentiful right now, a pear-ginger shrub is a zesty base for a quenching mocktail. Pears mingle well with flavors such as cardamom and vanilla; for this shrub, I used ginger and lightly crushed Szechuan peppercorns. The resulting syrup is just as you'd expect: Fruity, zingy, slightly peppery. Blend some with ginger beer and a dash of bitters, and you have yourself a zero-roof party.
