I tried to grow rhubarb this year – which was a very unsuccessful attempt. Not even a little sprout came up! Thankfully, my aunt and uncle grow a whole bunch and it’s having an extra long season this year because of all the rain! (One benefit of non-stop rain this year…) So I grabbed a bundle from them to add to some drinks! I wanted to make a rhubarb mocktail version of a Tom Collins so I decided to add a bit of juniper to the simple syrup to bring in a bit of the flavor that the gin would typical give it.
Ingredients:
-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-3 tbsp rhubarb juniper syrup (see recipe below)
-club soda
-crushed ice
Fill glass most of the way with crushed ice. Add lemon juice and rhubarb/juniper syrup. Top off with club soda. Garnish with rhubarb stalk or lemon wedge.
Rhubarb Juniper Syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rhubarb (cut up in 1/2” pieces)
1 tbsp juniper berries (crushed)
Combine ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Strain rhubarb and juniper and let mixture cool. Store in refrigerator. (*If you’re nervous about the juniper taste being too strong- wait until 15 minutes in to add the juniper.)xo. Caitlin