Recipe of the Week: Sarah Adler’s Rhubarb-Sage Syrup

With summer solstice coming up, the days are getting longer and the nights are getting warmer. That’s right, it’s patio season. And what better way to liven up your backyard bash than a fresh new cocktail? Queen Anne-based author, nutrition coach and food blogger Sarah Adler concocted this Rhubarb-Sage Syrup  that will certainly sweeten up your night.

The syrup can be used in myriad ways—put it in a mocktail, mix it with your favorite booze or try out her suggestion: The Rhubarb Sunset Cocktail, which uses a touch of tequila, lemon and club soda. So fire up the grill, dust off your outdoor furniture and gather your friends and family and test out this sweet summertime drink.

To get more of Adler’s recipes, grab a copy of her new book The Simply Real Health Cookbook, which features 150 original recipes that all stem from her short-and-sweet food philosophy: Eating well should be simpler, and food should be chock full of real ingredients.

Rhubarb-Sage Syrup // Cocktails

Yields 3 cups syrup

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks rhubarb, sliced
• 1 bunch fresh sage
• 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey) [note: this swap instead of white sugar gives such a better depth of flavor and won’t spike your blood sugar in the same way that normal simple syrups would. Add more to your liking if the syrup tastes too tart for your tastes.]
• 1 1/2 cups water

Photo Credit: Sarah Adler

Photo Credit: Sarah Adler

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, add rhubarb, 1 1/2 cups water and maple syrup and bring to a boil. Once there, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the rhubarb softens. Let cool.

Add mixture to a large mason jar, add sage leaves, and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours (and up to 72 hours). Drain liquid with a fine mesh strainer, catching the juice with a bowl below it. Pour juice into a glass jar or storage container and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Hint: If you want a double batch, scrape the rhubarb pulp back into a jar and add 2 cups water. In 2 days, you’ll get a lot more liquid out of the same batch!

Now, what to do with this amazing little summer fridge staple? Make cocktails + summer mocktails way more interesting.

Splash it into some sparkling water, add a garnish and go sit yourself out on the back porch for a few minutes and soak up that blissful early summer sun.  Or, add your favorite cocktail base and turn it into a party.

Great combos include:

tequila + lemon + club soda

gin + lime + club soda

vodka + blackberry/blueberry + club soda

My personal favorite? The tequila version, although I’m pretty sure this syrup would make any combination you can think of, pretty amazing. Here’s the one I’ve been loving, right in time for the weekend.

Rhubarb Sunset Cocktail

Serves 1

1 1/2 oz resposado tequila

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup club soda

splash of rhubarb sage syrup

lemon peels for garnish (optional)

Add all ingredients to a glass, stir well and pour over a cup of ice.