Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade and…

For those wondering if I have created anything since I have gotten back from Toronto, the answer is… sort of. When I was at the grocery store the other day and saw rhubarb was still available, I just knew I had to make strawberry rhubarb lemonade.

I thought I was a genius, what a great idea, a pie in a glass… Then a Facebook friend reminded me that I had already made it. OK, it was two years ago but still, it shows you that I am not really here yet. The good news is I woke up today feeling inspired and excited about the next class for Cooking School for Delinquents. I will take that as a good sign.

The Recipe

In a large pot add 3 1/2 cups water, 2 cups chopped rhubarb, 3 cups strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar, zest of one lemon and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Bring to a boil, stir and then simmer covered for 8 minutes.

You are going to need 1 cup of lemon juice. To save my hands from doing all that squeezing I use a press similar to this Manual Lever Press Citrus Juicer. I love it because as you can see, it squeezes out the very last drop. (I am going to use it to make homemade pomegranate juice in the fall.)

It took around 4 lemons for me to get 1 cup of freshly squeeze lemon juice.

After the strawberry rhubarb syrup has cooled down, I used a potato masher to break down the fruit. Then I sieved the mixture.

If you want the drink to be perfectly clear with no pulp, use a cheesecloth.

Let this beautiful ruby elixir cool down. Then add the fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Foodie Results

Divine! Yes, strawberry rhubarb pie in a glass. Very sweet and tart at the same time. If you find it too strong, dilute it with some water or add sparkling water!

And…

I had to make up for the fact that I this was not a new foodie phenomenon for me so I used the lemonade in a smoothie too! Yes, a strawberry rhubarb smoothie. You really can not pack summer in a glass better than that.