6.3.16 Rhubarb Ginger Lemonade
There’s still a lot of rhubarb out there guys. At the markets, in the garden - those red stalks are everywhere. Loads and loads of the stuff. It’s lucky I like rhubarb so much. It’s even luckier that I figured out how to convert its overwhelming tartness into something sweet and sippable.
It feels a little like I’m muddling my seasons, mixing rhubarb’s inherent springiness with that quintessential summer quaff, lemonade. But this time of year is like that - spring and summer weather mixed together - so a drink like this is actually kindof... perfect.
This may look like your standard pink lemonade, but it’s really so much more interesting. Besides the rhubarb, I threw in a good hit of spicy ginger as well, because rhubarb and ginger go together so well, it’d be a shame not to include them both. The result is a tart, refreshing beverage that’s sure to make you happy. Pro tip: making said lemonade into a cocktail by mixing in a bit of vodka is sure to make you even happier.
Rhubarb Ginger Lemonade
Makes 1 quart
I find that as the lemonade sits, the ginger tends to settle out of the mixture, but never fear: a quick stir or shake before serving will get things remixed again!
- 5 oz rhubarb, roughly chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup sugar + more or less to taste
- Cold water, ice, and lemon slices for serving
1. Combine rhubarb pieces, ginger pieces, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until very well chopped, about 30 seconds.
2. Strain rhubarb mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, squeezing to remove all liquid from the pulp. You should end up with about ½ cup liquid. Discard pulp. Pour liquid into a 1 quart container, such as a mason jar.
3. Add the sugar, and fill to 1 quart with cold water. Cap mason jar and shake vigorously to mix until sugar is dissolved (if using another type of container, give everything a vigorous stir instead). Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with a lemon slice if desired. Store lemonade in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
