Let’s pretend that for this post I’m a 19th Century British lady named Barbara Billingsworth and I’m obsessed with Rhubarb. Therefore, read the rest of this post in a Victorian accent and with proper diction. Marvelous.

Wednesday, 10th June

Oh, I’m so excited that it’s Rhubarb season. How terribly delightful! I’m planning all sorts of ways use my Rhubarb throughout the springtime and into the summer. I can’t even begin to express my great joy and pleasure at interacting so specially with this particular plant. It is at once both tart and sweet. Both vegetal and citrine. In essence, it is divinity itself.

I’ve decided to start by making it into a syrup for which to use in Cocktails. Oh heavens, my guests shall enjoy that quite a lot, shall they not? Yes, quite. We will go ahead and start with the recipe.

Barb’s Rhubarb Syrup

• 2 cups of chopped Rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups of Water
• 1 cup Turbinado or Demerara sugar (or another Rich sugar)
• 1 sauce pot

1. Now Dear, be sure to chop your Rhubarb rather properly or it won’t cook down the way we want it to in the pot. We wouldn’t want improperly cooked Rhubarb now would we?
2. Combine ingredients over especially low heat and simmer for just around half an hour. Please don’t let it come to a boil or the Rhubarb you may spoil.
3. Remove from heat and cover for around three hours.
4. Fine strain, using the sides of a spatula to press the bits of Rhubarb against the strainer, thereby leeching the maximum amount of liquid.

Now Dears, here’s the trick. One should have around 2 cups of liquid at this time and I had us adding 1 1/2 cups of water so we could reduce the syrup after it had been strained. You’re going to want to put the syrup back on the stove (low heat) and reduce until you have more like 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups of syrup. You will know it because it will taste properly and have a lovely viscosity.

Once you’ve got it, let the whole thing cool ’til it is at room temperature, then strain into Jar and label. An improperly labeled jar is a sin of the highest accord, except of course, not labeling at all.

Well, do you have it? Wonderful.

Now that we’ve got this lovely Rhubarb Syrup, let’s use it in a cocktail, shall we?

Barb’s Rhubarb Cocktail

• 1 1/2 oz Espolón Reposado Tequila
• 3/4 oz Rhubarb Syrup
• 1 oz Red Grapefruit Juice
• 1 dash Scrappy’s Celery Bitters
• Pinch of Salt

Combine ingredients over ice and vigorously shake. Strain into the most beautiful coupe you have. Sip whilst looking out your window or at a garden party. I would say this cocktail is on the sweeter side but complex and salty enough to keep it rather interesting.

Cheers to you all and I hope you’ve enjoyed these recipes!