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
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
This is why you reserved the fruit from the Rhubarb-Strawberry-Honey Lemonade!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rhubarb-strawberry fruit mixture in a medium saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water and 3 tbsp. sugar. Simmer on medium heat for ten minutes. In the meantime, make the batter.
Mix together:
- 1 cup white flour
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
Add in:
- 1/3 cup butter
- Stir until the mixture is crumbly.
Combine with
1 egg
1/2 cup milk.
Stir thoroughly. The batter will be very sticky.
Place the hot fruit into a 9″ square glass baking dish and top with spoonfuls of batter. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy warm, with cream or ice cream!
(Recipe adapted from the Purity Cookbook: The Complete Guide to Canadian Cooking).
