Rhubarb Lemonade and Cobbler

This is a good year for rhubarb here in Calgary: we got plenty of moisture and the temperatures have been relatively cool so far. I don’t grow rhubarb myself, but there is a plant at the community garden where I rent a plot. Because there are 27 plot holders, one rhubarb plant doesn’t go very far, so out of fairness, a system of rationing has been implemented. Late last week I picked my allowance, and mulled over how best to use it. I had a refreshing drink in mind, but I seem to have misplaced my recipe for Rhubarb Fizz, and the ones I’ve found (so far) on the Internet aren’t the same. The organic lemons and strawberries I had in the fridge finally clinched it for me. Here is what I made:

Rhubarb-Strawberry-Honey Lemonade

• 4 stalks of rhubarb, washed and chopped into 1″ chunks
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups strawberries, washed, hulled, and chopped(I wish my alpine strawberries were ready to pick now – I will have to make this again once they are!)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 3 lemons

Bring water, rhubarb, honey, water, and lemon zest to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add strawberries, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, then strain the liquid through a sieve into a glass pitcher. Reserve fruit. *Add lemon juice. Serve chilled. You can add a splash of carbonated water to this if you want it to be nice and fizzy!

Rhubarb-Strawberry Cobbler Recipe