The online food magazines are a great source of new recipes for seasonal foods. I receive posts in my e-mail inbox from a number of different sites. I always take a quick look through the sites to find interesting recipes. I like trying out slightly unusual recipes of any sort.

The magazines started posting rhubarb recipes about a month ago.  I spend more time going through those recipes. New & interesting rhubarb recipes are few & far between. The rhubarb in my garden has exploded and I am harvesting it every few days. I hope to post a few rhubarb recipes in the coming weeks!

I’m starting with a rhubarb drink recipe. I tried it out on some family members who were visiting along with some friends we had over recently. It was a “smash” with all of them. I made a pitcher of them for 7 of us and graduated to a large pitcher for 11 of us. It didn’t last long on either occasion. I plan on making a ton of it for our Memorial Day celebration!

Strawberry Rhubarb Smash (adapted from saveur.com)

Rhubarb Simple Syrup   MAKES 4 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 rhubarb stalks
• ½ vanilla bean
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash the rhubarb and trim the ends. Cut it into ½” pieces.

The rhubarb should be diced as uniformly as possible.

Place the fruit and sugar in a 4-quart sauce pot and cover it with 4 cups of water. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds of the bean into the pot, also adding the bean pod to the water.

Stir the ingredients all together once they are all in the pot.

Stir the ingredients together then cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Give it a few more stirs, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook the syrup for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the syrup into a bowl and cool it in an ice water bath.

You can skip the ice water bath if you don’t need the syrup immediately.

Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the rhubarb and discarding the vanilla bean pod. You can make the syrup a few days ahead of time, storing and refrigerating it until you need it. It will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Strain the rhubarb solids out of the syrup after it has cooled for a bit.

Strawberry Rhubarb Smash  MAKES 2 DRINKS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 of a lemon, sliced
• 8 mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon of reserved cooked rhubarb from the simple syrup
• 2 shots rhubarb simple syrup
• 3 shots bourbon
• 3 strawberries, washed and hulled
• mint & sliced strawberries for garnish, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:

Muddle the lemon, mint, strawberries, rhubarb and rhubarb simple syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add some ice and the bourbon. Shake and strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with some mint leaves and strawberry slices.

If I’m making it by the pitcher, I leave the fruit & mint leaves in the pitcher and strain it as individual drinks are poured.

Remembering the men & women who have died serving our country in the military this Memorial Day.  ~Linda

Strawberry Rhubarb Smash (adapted from saveur.com)

Rhubarb Simple Syrup   MAKES 4 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 rhubarb stalks
• ½ vanilla bean
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wash the rhubarb and trim the ends. Cut it into ½” pieces. Place the fruit and sugar in a 4-quart sauce pot and cover the rhubarb with 4 cups of water. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds of the bean into the pot, also adding the bean pod to the water. Stir the ingredients together then cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Give it a few more stirs, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook the syrup for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pot from the heat. Pour the syrup into a bowl and cool in an ice water bath. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the rhubarb and discarding the vanilla bean pod. You can make the syrup a few days ahead of time, storing and refrigerating it until you need it. It will keep for up to 3 weeks.

 Strawberry Rhubarb Smash  MAKES 2 DRINKS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 of a lemon, sliced
• 8 mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon of reserved cooked rhubarb from the simple syrup
• 2 shots rhubarb simple syrup
• 3 shots bourbon
• 3 strawberries, washed and hulled
• mint & sliced strawberries for garnish, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:

Muddle the lemon, mint, strawberries, rhubarb and rhubarb simple syrup in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add some ice and the bourbon. Shake and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with some mint leaves and strawberry slices.