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Rhubarb Soda

By Carrie Floyd, from the Culinate Kitchen collection

Serves	6 to 8
Prep Time	5 minutes
Cook Time	15 minutes

Introduction

Recently my greed at the farmers’ market prompted me to buy more rhubarb than I had time to fashion into tarts or pie. Instead I turned the stalks into syrup, which I then made into cocktails and sodas.

Ingredients

	1½	cups rhubarb, roughly chopped
	1	cup sugar
	1½	cups water
	~	Sparkling water
	~	Ice

Steps

Place rhubarb, sugar, and 1½ cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the syrup is bright pink.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Strain syrup into a large jar.
To make each soda, measure ¼ cup rhubarb syrup into a glass. Add enough sparkling water to fill the glass ⅔ full. Stir to mix, then add ice.

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There are 23 comments on this item

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Average Rating 4.7

39% recommend this recipe

1. by anonymous on Jun 21, 2008 at 1:47 PM PDT

Funny I came across this as I was greedy at the farmers market and had too much rhubarb. My husband made the syrup and then a rhubarb margarita. Beautiful color to the syrup and the marg was pretty tasty. I bet it will be good with some plain ole club soda too.

2. by DawnHeather Simmons on Apr 12, 2009 at 5:17 PM PDT

I found some rhubarb and just HAD to have it. Then I stumbled across this recipe, and decided I just HAD to try it. I ate a lot of the “stuff” while I was straining the syrup into a jar. The syrup is mild flavoured and very, very beautiful! I love this stuff! The soda is pretty to look at, and not overpoweringly rhubarb. I think even people who don’t especially like rhubarb would like it. Going to make more, and more, and more! I think I may make some and cook it down so it’s a bit thicker (my syrup was not very thick). I think it will be a good ice cream topping! Will be SO sorry when rhubarb season is over -- but then, I always am!

3. by DawnHeather Simmons on Apr 23, 2009 at 12:16 AM PDT

Going to try this again, making it with some stevia in place of some of the sugar. Also making a bigger batch of it than last time, so I sure hope my experiment works!

4. by Hank Sawtelle on May 6, 2009 at 11:04 AM PDT

Nice. I just harvested 14 pounds (after trimming) of rhubarb from my garden a few days ago. We are sick of eating eat . . .

5. by anonymous on May 6, 2009 at 11:27 AM PDT

Fancy shipping some to Hawaii, Hank? That’s one thing we can’t get here that we really miss...

6. by Barbara Lamb on May 6, 2009 at 11:40 AM PDT

I make this every spring, using honey instead of sugar, and then freeze it in mason jars to enjoy all winter long!

7. by OpusOne on May 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM PDT

Barbara Lamb,

How much honey do you use to equal the 1 cup of sugar in the recipe above? It would be nice to post some variations for this recipe.

Mark

8. by Jon Clark on May 12, 2009 at 7:30 AM PDT

This was fantastic! I made a batch of strawberry rhubarb syrup for some “fizzy-lifting drinks” this weekend for a dinner! They were a nice touch.

9. by Barbara Lamb on May 12, 2009 at 9:49 AM PDT

This makes juice rather than a syrup:

5 cups chopped rhubarb
5 cups water
2/3 cup honey

Combine in a large pot and cook 15 minutes or until fruit is soft. Strain through cheescloth. Drink right away or freeze in mason jars, leaving a few inches of headroom.

10. by Barbara Lamb on May 28, 2009 at 11:15 AM PDT

Knee-deep in rhubarb and spearmint, I came up with a variation last week. I added a thumb-sized chunk of peeled ginger and 3 allspice berries to the rhunarb/water/honey mix. Then before I strained the rhubarb I tossed in a fistful of mint and let it wilt. Mixed half and half with soda, this was incredibly refreshing!

11. by Angie on May 30, 2009 at 3:18 PM PDT

Barbara - Could you process the jars in a hot water bath to store for over winter?

12. by cafemama on May 31, 2009 at 6:26 PM PDT

Barbara, I also added in spearmint, I thought I was so brilliant :) it was delicious!

13. by Barbara Lamb on Jun 1, 2009 at 8:58 AM PDT

Angie, I haven’t tried it but 10 minutes in a boiling water bath would probably do.

14. by Hank Sawtelle on Jun 1, 2009 at 9:29 AM PDT

yup, I have canned Rhubarb syrup and juice. The raw juice was kind of a disaster (cloudy, gray precipitate), but the syrup works great!

15. by baltimoregon on Jun 2, 2009 at 9:22 AM PDT

Did the rhubarb syrup keep its rose blush when you canned it? Any suggestions on how to preserve the syrup’s color?

16. by Steph on Jun 2, 2009 at 10:41 AM PDT

My boyfriend just brought home loads of rhubarb, some of which we froze, but I am left to figure out what to do with the rest. Would it work to freeze the syrup into a couple of ice cube trays for instant flavor for sodas or some spring cocktails, you think?

17. by Hank Sawtelle on Jun 2, 2009 at 10:57 AM PDT

@baltimoregon - the color didn’t diminish at all in a 10-minute boil. I wouldn’t worry about it.

@Steph - freezing is worth a try, but with the high sugar content it might not freeze all the way into nice cubes. it (syrup) should keep fine in the refrigerator for a long time given the high sugar and acid and low protein levels.

18. by Barbara Lamb on Jun 2, 2009 at 11:29 AM PDT

If you’re looking for another great rhubarb recipe, this is from Sophie at MostlyEating.com
It freezes well too.

Hot and Sour Rhubarb Sauce:

400g rhubarb, trimmed and roughly chopped
A big thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled
A red chilli
3 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
Put all of the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the resulting puree into a saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes

19. by Hank Sawtelle on Jun 2, 2009 at 2:53 PM PDT

Oh damn, that sounds fly

20. by b kinch on Jul 21, 2009 at 6:52 PM PDT

I love this recipe, and the color is my all-time favorite color!

21. by Tia on Aug 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM PDT

http://www.dinnercraft.com/2009/08/thinking-outside-the-glass-rhubarb-soda/

I’ve linked back to this yummy recipe on one of my articles on www.dinnercraft.com - thank you for the fantastic ideas!

22. by anonymous on May 9, 2011 at 4:39 PM PDT

Used a canning juicer on the rhubarb and carbonated the whole thing with direct gas.

We have four full rhubarb plants that regrow about every month or so. I’m going to make a TON of this stuff!

Add gelatin and this also makes wonderful jello shots.

23. by anonymous on May 26, 2011 at 6:42 PM PDT

i made this for my gramma’s 86th bday party and she loved it! thanks so much.

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