The beautiful stalks of bright red rhubarb caught my eye. I just had to pluck one and place it in my basket, even though I know rhubarb was not my thing. Then again, I honestly don’t know the last time I had rhubarb. The nice cashier smiled at me and noticed it among my treasures of produce and said, “Only one stalk?” I got home and showed my find to my spouse; who laughed and said, “Only one stalk?” Not one to lose a culinary challenge, I present you with a fun trifectas summer cocktail, snack, and hostess gift.

Ingredients :

• 2 oz. rhubarb syrup –recipe follows
• 1 lime
• 8 sprigs of mint
• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 3 ounces vodka
• 1 dry soda (rhubarb flavored)
• 4 fresh strawberries,
• Crushed ice, for the shaker
• Ice cubes

Rhubarb Syrup

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 large stalk rhubarb, coarsely chopped

Combine 1-1/2 cups water, sugar, and chopped rhubarb in a medium saucepan over high heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let thicken about 15 minutes. Remove the chunks of rhubarb (have a few- they are like sweet candies). Strain the syrup into a cute bottle(yields one cup). I used an old juice bottle cap with a used wine cork. Add a ribbon or handmade label and take it to your next party as a hostess gift, or show off for your own guests. It will last about two weeks.

Methodology: Add mint, lime, strawberries to shaker. Muddle together to extract the flavor of the mint and strawberries. Add vodka, rhubarb simple syrup, and ice. Shake well and serve in a rocks glass or juice glass over ice topped with rhubarb dry soda and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Cheers to summer!