With summer just a short week away, we couldn’t help but dream about lazy days lounging by the water with a cocktail (or mocktail) in hand. That’s why we’ve decided to start a brand new blog feature – Saturday Sips! – to share some of our favorite seasonal beverage recipes in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic form. Saturday Sips will post every other Saturday with a new drink recipe hand-picked by our staff.
To kick things off, we’ve chosen to feature rhubarb in all its tart, ruby-red glory. Why? Because it’s in peak season right now, and growing right outside in the Evermine office garden. Plus, as sour as rhubarb may be in raw form, it mellows out into a smooth, unique flavor when added to sugar. Add some freshly scraped vanilla bean and your favorite ground spices, and you have a taste that will bring you back for more every spring when rhubarb stalks start growing in the garden once again.
For the base of your rhubarb mojito cocktail or mocktail, you’ll first need to prepare a batch of vanilla-rhubarb simple syrup. Luckily, you can have it made in under 30 minutes, and once your batch of syrup cools, you’ll have enough to serve a good six to eight generously-sized glasses:
- 8 oz chopped rhubarb
- 1 cup sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ vanilla bean, scraped
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and let the mixture come to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for another five minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain into a clean glass jar, cover, and store in the refrigerator.
- Add to your mojito (recipe below), or a glass of sparkling cider for a delicious mocktail.
- Enjoy!
Once you have made your vanilla-rhubarb simple syrup, you can jar it up and bring it to your beginning-of-summer BBQ or party to spread the rhubarb love with your friends. Just grab your bottle of syrup, a handful of fresh mint from the garden or grocery store, and a few mason jars, and depending on whether you want to celebrate with spirits or keep it simple with a glass of refreshing soda, the rest of the ingredients are up to you. For the mojito lovers among you, we have a recipe for Rhubarb Mojitos that will knock your socks off:
- 1 oz white rum
- 2 oz rhubarb syrup
- 5 mint leaves, torn and muddled
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Ice
- In a small glass, add the rhubarb syrup, mint, and lime juice.
- Add ice cubes, and cover with the rum.
- Garnish with a slice of rhubarb.
- Stir and enjoy!
And for those of you who want to enjoy the flavor without the alcohol, simply add the syrup (to taste) to your unflavored soda water, squeeze in some fresh lime, and add a few torn fresh mint leaves – that’s all there is to it! Cheers to the delicious flavors of spring, and the beginning of a brand new season!
Used In This Project:
- Fancy Square Labels • I chose the “Bordeaux” style in butter yellow.
- Circle Hang Tags • I chose the “Bordeaux” style in butter yellow.
- Small Diamond Hang Tags • I chose the “Bordeaux” style in butter yellow.
- Round Coasters • I chose the “Bordeaux” style in butter yellow.
More Cocktails and Mixers:
Homemade Bitters Lavender Simple Syrup Wedding Cocktails Mason Jar Lemonade
Shop Our Food/Craft Collection:
Josephine Guicciardi is the nom de plume of our creative Evermine blogger. With romantic connections to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved” love letters, it is in keeping with the blog’s themes of love and joy. The great composer writes the famous words “ever thine, ever mine, ever ours” to a woman who remains a mystery to this day. Two of the most likely objects of his adoration are Josephine Brunsvik and Guilietta Guicciardi, and it’s from these two women that Josephine Guicciardi draws her persona.
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