Strawberry Rhubarb Liqueur →

Two wonderful, complementary springtime flavors are sweet, juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb. Sweet and tangy strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert; sweet, tangy, savory strawberry rhubarb compote to accompany grilled meats; strawberry rhubarb jam for morning scones, and how about Strawberry Rhubarb Liqueur for an after-dinner treat? It’s easy to make, beautiful to look at, and delightful to taste with subtle notes of strawberry and rhubarb. The liqueur develops its flavor and complexity over time, so be patient. Your patience will be rewarded. Tchin, tchin!  

Strawberry Rhubarb Liqueur

Ingredients
· .75 liter- 100 proof vodka or Ever-Clear grain alcohol (= 3 cups)
· 1 cup rhubarb pulsed and broken up in a food processor or chopped
·  1 cup strawberries chopped or pulsed and broken up in a food processor.
·  ½ - 1 cup of simple syrup to taste (1:1 sugar to water) 

Preparation:
Use a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid.

1. Chop or pulse the rhubarb in a food processor until broken up; repeat with the strawberries and add to the sterilized jar.

2. Combine the fruit slurry with half the vodka and shake to mix well.

3. Close the container and rest in a cool dark place for 3 weeks.

4. Make the simple syrup by adding equal amounts of water and sugar; bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cool to room temperature before using.

5. After 3 weeks, strain the slurry to remove the pieces of rhubarb and strawberry.

6. Add the remainder of the vodka and the simple syrup to taste; bottle, shake, seal, and rest for six weeks in a cool dark place.

7. Strain the liqueur through a double layer of cheesecloth, or a non-chlorinated paper coffee filter.

8. Bottle, using sterilized bottles. Store the liqueur in a cool dark place. Serve chilled.

Mojito →

You don’t have to be a professional bartender to make a good Mojito. After all, the drink originated in Cuba with agricultural field workers...probably those cutting sugar cane. Rumored to be a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, the Mojito is the perfect cool and refreshing summer drink...a glass filled with ice, lime juice, mint, sugar, and rum. Because the Cuban field workers probably used sugar cane juice, Mojito recipes frequently call for using simple syrup (1:1 granulated sugar and water). Since I don’t have access to sugar cane juice, I prefer to use finely ground raw sugar in place of simple syrup. If you don’t want to bother making simple syrup, finely ground raw sugar, or a simple syrup of raw sugar and water makes a good substitute for traditional simple syrup.

Another difference is the kind of mint to use. Cuban mint (Yerba buena) is the traditional mint used in Cuba, however, Spearmint is commonly substituted. You can also use Peppermint, but if you do, use less due to the intense flavor of the leaves. I used Peppermint from my garden for this recipe, so if you use Spearmint, or are lucky enough to have access to Yerba buena, you may want to add a few more leaves. A traditional Mojito is commonly served with crushed ice. In an effort to make this recipe more accessible without sacrificing flavor, I used ice cubes and stirred the final product lightly to chill before adding the garnish. Some bartenders prefer to “slap” the mint a few times between their palms to release the aromatic oils claiming you don’t have to worry about bits and pieces of muddled mint sticking between your teeth. Like any recipe, this drink recipe provides a starting point for you to develop the drink to your own tastes. Don’t be afraid to experiment and alter and make it your own! Salud!

Mojito
Makes 1 drink

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon finely ground raw sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

• 4 Peppermint leaves, plus more for garnish, or 6-8 Spearmint leaves.

• 2 ounces white rum

• 1/2 medium lime plus more juice to taste

• Club soda (for serving)

PREPARATION

1. In a bartender mixing glass (or Pyrex measuring cup), add the sugar, mint leaves, 1/2 lime, and muddle. If you don't have a muddler, squeeze the juice from the lime into your mixing cup with the mint and sugar. Throw in the squeezed lime and using the handle of a wooden spoon, press the lime into the mint and sugar. The idea is to release the aromatic oils from the mint leave and lime zest. Press the lime into the mint about four times to release the oils. If you muddle the mint too much your drink will be bitter.

2. Add the rum and swirl the glass around to mix the flavors and dissolve the sugar. Fill a tall glass (Tom Collins glass) 3/4 full with ice. Using a Hawthorne strainer or other fine strainer, strain the mint-lime-sugar-rum mixture over the ice. Add about two ounces of club soda and mix. (I like to use lime-flavored club soda.)

3. Taste, and add more lime juice if desired. Garnish with mint leave and a slice of lime.

Lemongrass-Lemon Drop Cocktail →

Lemongrass is not just for cooking or flavoring teas! Here’s a slightly exotic version of the classic refreshing, citrusy “Lemon Drop Cocktail”. Replacing plain simple syrup with Lemongrass-infused simple syrup adds a subtle Asian herbal citrus note to the “Lemongrass-Lemon Drop Cocktail”. In my book, Limoncello is indispensable for full appreciation of either the Lemon Drop or the Lemongrass-Lemon Drop. Either way...Tchin Tchin!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Lemongrass-Lemon Drop Cocktail
Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1-ounce Vodka

• 1-ounce Limoncello

• 1⁄2 ounce Triple sec

• 1-ounce Lemongrass simple syrup (or plain simple syrup for the classic Lemon Drop Cocktail)

• 1-ounce fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Sugar rim (optional) or lemon twist

Preparation:

Make the Lemongrass simple syrup:

1. Chop the lemongrass stalk into 1-inch pieces, and bruise using a mortar and pestle or rolling pin.

2. Place them in a pot with 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the syrup infuse for about 2 hours before using.

3. Strain the syrup, pressing down on the lemongrass stalks to extract maximum flavor. Chill until ready to use. Once the syrup is strained, it will keep in your fridge for a couple of weeks.

Assemble the cocktail:

1. Optional: coat the rim of a cocktail glass with sugar and set aside (do this a few minutes ahead of time so the sugar can dry and adhere well to the glass).

2. Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake.

3. Strain into a coup or small martini glass neat, or a cocktail glass over ice

*Note: Use a citrus-infused vodka for more citrusy depth. Homemade Limoncello, which should be in everyone’s freezer, is a good choice.

Adapted from: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/lemon-drop/#gs.9egdtl

Lemongrass-Basil Vodka Gimlet →

Here’s an exotic riff on the classic Gin or Vodka Gimlet. Fragrant, delicious, and refreshing, it’s easy to imagine yourself on a white sand beach in Thailand while sipping one of these. Like any recipe, it is a road map for you to use to fine-tune the finished drink to your tastes. Once you have made the lemongrass simple syrup, the drink comes together in minutes. Tchin-Tchin!

Lemongrass-Basil Vodka Gimlet
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients:

• 1 stalk lemongrass chopped into 1-inch pieces and smashed

• 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 cup of water

• juice of 1 lime

• 3 large leaves of basil

• 2-3 ounces Vodka (to taste)

• ice, to chill

Method:
Make the lemongrass simple syrup:

1. Chop the lemongrass stalk into 1-inch pieces, and bruise using a mortar and pestle or rolling pin.

2. Place them in a pot with 1 cup of water and 1/4 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the syrup infuse for about 2 hours before using.

3. Strain the syrup, pressing down on the lemongrass stalks to extract maximum flavor. Chill until ready to use. Once the syrup is strained, it will keep in your fridge for a couple of weeks.

To build the cocktail:

4. Arrange a cocktail glass on a work surface and place 1/2 teaspoon sugar in the glass. Add the lime juice to the glass along with the basil, and muddle together.

5. Pour in 2-3 ounces vodka and 2 ounces lemongrass syrup. Add the mixture to a cocktail shaker with a ½ cup of ice and shake to chill.

6. Strain into a coup or small martini glass neat, or a cocktail glass over ice and serve garnished with a lime round or basil leaf.

Adapted from: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-thai-style-lemongrass-lime-mojito-recipes-from-the-kitchn-214658 by Michelle Peters-Jones

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/vodka-gimlet/