Rhubarb Cocktails Anyone?

Offer me a glass of wine and surely I will oblige, but it wouldn't be my first choice.  Offer me a beer and I will likely stick with my glass of water...unless, of course, it is a beautiful Belgian beer from Brasserie V.  My first choice and true love is hard liquor.  I don't know if it's my Slovenian, German, or Irish roots (pick one, they all like to drink), or simply my midwestern upbringing, but I love a good cocktail.  Sometimes I like them clean and simple...A good whiskey with a good vermouth and a twist of orange.  And sometimes the crazier the better, think gourmet meal in a glass.  Cocktails can be tailored for every mood and occasion.

Every year when it comes time to preserve fruits and vegetables at the peak of their season I am always looking for new recipes and new ideas.  A couple of years ago my love for liquor took a new twist when I started playing with making some of my own flavored infusions. Last year during Rhubarb season I needed some inspiration and Nigella Lawson gave me just that.  I had reached my quota of putting up frozen rhubarb, sweet rhubarb sauce, and savory rhubarb brown sauce.  And though I love Rhubarb Kuchen, I'm not a baker and there's only so much one can do with rhubarb.  Through her cookbook "How to be a Domestic Goddess" Nigella tempted me with Rhubarb Schnapps and a new way for me to enjoy both rhubarb and liquor was born.  

Making infusions is so very easy and so very fun.  You just have to have a little patience.  

Since I have less than a little patience, I only let my first batch sit the minimum required 6 weeks.  When I strained it, it definitely had a nice rhubarb flavor but it was very mild.  I wasn't quite sure what to do with it as it's mild flavor wouldn't really hold up to other ingredients, so I only drank a small amount over the summer. Usually I had it with a little ice mixed with lemonade. It is true that things get better with age.  This spring I pulled out my Rhubarb Schnapps jar thinking I should probably drink what was left to make room for a new batch.  I am so glad I had some left over because it had gotten better over time.  The rhubarb flavor had intensified a little and the whole concoction had developed a smoother and richer flavor.

I was still on the lookout, however, for the perfect mixer.   Fate stepped in and while at Metcalfe's Market recently I stumbled upon Dry Soda.  This stuff is amazing!  It's all natural, just lightly sweetened (with pure cane sugar), and comes in array of interesting flavors.  I scooped up a 4-pack each of the Lavender and Rhubarb and couldn't wait to get home to start mixing.  The experiment was a huge success and I now have a new favorite early summer cocktail to enjoy!  I liked the Lavender and Rhubarb sodas equally well as they each brought something different to the drink.  Not being a soda drinker, I was also surprised to find that I enjoy drinking these Dry Sodas on their own.

Here is my adaptation of Nigella Lawson's

Rhubarb Schnapps

• 1 lg bunch Rhubarb- sliced 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces to make 4 C.
• 2 C. sugar
• Approx 4 C. vodka- you can use whatever cheap vodka you like (I used Tito's as it's one of my favorites and is small batch from Texas...if you're looking for a local vodka you will find it in Yahara Bay, Death's Door, 45th Parallel, Rehorst Premium Milwaukee, and Prairie Organic...all at a slightly higher price point)
• 1 half gallon Ball jar with lid (these can be found at Farm & Fleet)

1.  Place sliced rhubarb in jar

2.  Pour in sugar, cover with lid, and shake vigorously to disperse sugar.

















3.  Pour vodka over sugar & rhubarb until jar is filled to within an inch or so of very top.


4.  Replace lid and shake vigorously again.

5.  Place jar in cool dark place. Shake once daily for first week, then let sit for a minimum of six weeks and up to 6 months.


6.  After resting for desired amount of time, strain liquid.  Discard solids and reserve liquid back to jar, cover with lid, store in cool dark place and enjoy in moderation. :)

Rhubarb Cocktail

Glass, ice, 1 part Rhubarb Schnapps, 2 parts Lavender or Rhubarb Dry Soda.  Perhaps even add a few drops of Bittercube Jamaica #2 bitters.

(If you love making your own cocktails and are unfamiliar with Bittercube, you must check them out!)




Just for fun...here is another unique idea for using your rhubarb.  I got this recipe from a new friend, Amy K., who I met on a recent A World of Flavors Walking Food Tour in Madison's Atwood neighborhood.  (More on that another time)  She told me she makes Rhubarb Salsa and finds it to be a tasty alternative to traditional salsa this time of year.  She was gracious enough to share her recipe with me.  I haven't tried it yet, but thought it to be too interesting not to share.  Let me know what you think!!

Rhubarb Salsa

1 1/2 C. finely diced rhubarb
1/2  C. finely diced sweet bell pepper (use orange or yellow for a nice color contrast...and thanks to hoop houses, I actually saw yellow bell peppers at the farmer's market yesterday!)
1/2 C. diced red onion or green onion
1-2 diced jalapenos
2-3 Tbls chopped chives (if not using green onion)
Chopped cilantro to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lime
2-3 Tbls vinegar (I will probably use Apple Cider Vinegar)
1Tbls honey + 1 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt
The original recipe suggested adding ground cayenne or chipotle pepper to taste, but she had neither and says her family loved it without.



Toss the ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

Do you have an interesting and unique way of using rhubarb?  I'd love to hear about it!! 

Move over Jack, there's a new Gouda in town.

This post is a public service announcement of sorts.  I recently discovered a relatively new cheese that must be shared....White Jasmine's Cumin Gouda.  Huma Siddiqui is a chef who specializes in Pakistani cuisine, author, entrepreneur, local TV celebrity, and now cheese maker.  She is a beautiful, multi-talented lady who you can learn more about on her website White Jasmine.  There you will find information about her local TV show, cooking classes, specialty Pakistani spice blends, cookbook, and cheeses (which came on the market in just the past year or so).

When I think of Pakistani food, the only cheese that comes to mind is Paneer, a mild white farmer style cheese.  When Huma's cheeses came on the market I didn't give them much consideration as I couldn't quite reconcile the idea of "Indian" spiced cheeses and how they might be used in my kitchen.  I'm sad to say, I was very closed minded to the unique product she had created.

Well, those days are over.  My mind has been opened and all thanks to Huma herself.  On a routine stop at Metcalfe's Market Hilldale this past Saturday, she was there sampling her Cumin Gouda.  In that place, at that moment, I was able to take her special cheese out of the little mental box I had placed it in and consider the possibilities.  Her Cumin Gouda is a creamy rich Gouda that explodes with the flavor of cumin and the heat of red chiles.  It is delicious and so unique!

I'm not traditionally a Pepper-Jack cheese eater.  It has its purpose in my life on one specific occasion, when I make my Squash Enchiladas.  I never eat it from a cheese tray, never choose it for my sandwich at the deli, and don't even use it in any other Mexican cooking I might do.  I'm also not generally a fan of cheeses that are boldly flavored with other ingredients.  I'm kind of a purist I guess when it comes to cheese.  I like good cheese for the sake of the cheese itself, not because it has a bunch of stuff added to give it flavor.  This is probably why I didn't give Huma's cheeses a closer look.  Her Cumin Gouda is not even in the same league as any Pepper Jack I've ever had, though that's the only class I can think to put it in for comparison.

Needless to say after my "aha" moment at the sampling station, I bought a chunk of the cheese and tonight it made a star cameo on my dinner of Borracho Beans and locally made corn tortillas from Mercado Marimar.   I can see this cheese joining future events in my kitchen in the form of quesadillas, grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches, on top of chili, and I think it will even replace Pepper-Jack on my Squash Enchiladas.  It may even show up on one of my cheese plates, which is a very coveted place of honor for any cheese. (I put a lot of love and thought in to my cheese platters).  I will bet money that when it shows up on one of my cheese plates it will be one of the first cheeses to disappear.

I am looking forward to trying her other flavors, Tandoori Gouda and Sajji BBQ, and hope you give them a look too.  If you do please tell me what you think and how you used them.  I hope you will be as excited by the Cumin Gouda as I was.