 This past weekend my daughter Claire hosted a baby shower for her sister, Whitney, along with Whitney's close friend, Allison. Yes... I'm going to be an Oma. The event took place in my home, and my contribution for this gathering was lunch. The plan (for months) had been a luncheon outdoors on the patio and in the garden, of course! But the weather turned against us with 90+ degree heat and unbearable dew points that forced everyone attending inside; not ideal in our minds, but we made it work...  Appetizers were placed in the living room.    I have been making my version of this chicken, corn and avocado salad (recipe below) since eating it at a local restaurant this spring.   Dessert was 3 Rhubarb and Almond Cakes and Chocolate Bouchons (recipe HERE) Yes... I always prepare more than we need. Drinks consisted of Mimosas made with Prosecco, Rosé, and non-alcoholic Watermelon-Ginger Spritzers (recipe HERE), which were just the thing on a hot, sultry day. The baby girl is due in September... a sister for Midge the French Bulldog.  CHICKEN, CORN, and AVOCADO SALAD The ingredients of the salad below are approximate Serves 4 • 1 Rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat from the bones cut into bite-size pieces • 16-ounce can organic corn, drained • a handful of Medjool dates, pitted and diced • 1-2 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice • 5-ounce bag of Italian greens (or combine romaine, butter lettuce, and radicchio) • 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted • goat cheese, as much as you like for tossing on top of salad • apple cider vinegar • extra-virgin olive oil • salt and freshly ground pepper 1. In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, corn, dates, avocado and greens. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Poor dressing over salad and gently toss. Add additional salt and pepper if needed. 3. Sprinkle almonds and goat cheese over the top of the salad and serve. RHUBARB and ALMOND CAKE adapted recipe from The Floating Kitchen 10 servings • 1 cup sugar • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature • 2 large eggs • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup almond meal • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 3/4 pound rhubarb • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar • 1/3 cup sliced almonds • Confectioners' sugar for serving 1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper. Generously coat the parchment paper and the sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of the sugar and the butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the yogurt, orange zest and extracts and beat until just incorporated. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt. Add dry ingredients to the cake batter, adding in one-third at a time, mixing on low speed until none of the white streaks remain. Set aside. 4. Trim rhubarb of leaves and if the stalks are wide, slice them in half lengthwise. Cut the rhubarb stalks into pieces 1 1/2-inches in length. 5. Spread about half of the cake batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Layer about half of the rhubarb over the batter in a single layer, leaving a half-inch space uncovered around the edges of the pan. Spread the remaining cake batter over the rhubarb and arrange rhubarb pieces on top. You may not need all of the rhubarb. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and turbinado sugar over the cake. 6. Place the cake on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Cut into slices and dust with the Confectioners' sugar. • The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. TAKE a LOOK:
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 This was an unusual Christmas for my husband and me. It's the first year neither one of our daughters was here to celebrate -- with one visiting in-laws in Milwaukee and the other with her boyfriend's family in Chicago. Christmas Eve for us was spent at our neighbor's; a tradition, now that we are no longer traveling over the holidays. We have amazing neighbors and I've made it clear to all of them that they can never move away from me...  When we finally gathered yesterday with family, our Christmas dinner was French Onion Soup and a Salad of Arugula, Roasted Peppers, and Steak. Dessert... a Lemon Meringue Tart.   To start off our midday meal, we drank small glasses of spiked eggnog. Fortunately, the rich aperitif didn't seem to kill anyone's appetite... I stirred a good sprinkling of Chinese 5 Spice into organic eggnog, then added golden rum... to taste. The top was covered in a thick coating of whipped, heavy cream, along with a generous grating of nutmeg.   Whitney with her Frenchie, Midge  As usual, Bisous waiting for anything edible to drop from above.  This will now be my go-to French Onion Soup. The best I've ever made. I made some slight changes to a recipe by Ina Garten. (recipe below)  When finishing the soup, you will want to top it with the best Gruyére cheese you can fiind. It really makes a difference. I could eat this soup every day...  This is one of my favorite "hearty" salads, and I make it often during the summer for our alfresco meals.  La Fin... Lemon Meringue Tart. Perfect any time of the year... (recipe below) French Onion Soup Serves 8 • 3 3/4 pounds yellow onions, halved, and sliced 1/4-inch thick • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter • 2 bay leaves • 3/4 cup medium-dry sherry • 3/4 cup Cognac • 2 1/4 cups good quality dry white wine • 3 quarts organic beef stock • 1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper • 2 teaspoons concentrated beef base (such as Better Than Bouillon brand) • 1-2 French baguettes, sliced 1/2-inch thick • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 4-5 cups grated Gruyére cheese 1. In a large stockpot, over medium heat, sauté the onions with the butter and bay leaves until the onions turn a rich golden brown color. Take your time with this -- approximately 45+ minutes. You want to slowly caramelize the onions and not burn them. 2. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and brandy and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for an addition 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. 3. Add the beef stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in the concentrated beef base, starting with 1 teaspoon. Taste, and add additional base if needed. Adjust salt and pepper; remove the bay leaves. 4. Brush the baguette slices with the melted butter and place on a baking sheet. Transfer to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until the bread slices begin to lightly toast and turn golden. Remove from oven. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls. Place several slices of baguette onto each bowl of soup, then generously cover with grated Gruyére. Place several bowls on a baking sheet with 1-inch sides and slide onto middle rack of oven. Broil until cheese is melted and gooey. Repeat with remaining bowls. Serve. Lemon Meringue TartTART PASTRY: • 2 T. sliced almonds • 1 cup unbleached flour • 1/4 tsp. salt • 5 1/3 T. very cold butter, 1/2" dice • 3 T. ice water FILLING: • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/4 tsp. salt ˆ 1 cup water • 3 T. cornstarch • 2 egg yolks • 1/4 cup lemon juice • 2 T. butter • 2 tsp. grated lemon rind MERINGUE: • 5 egg whites • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 1. Make pastry dough and chill for 2 hours. Line a 9-inch tart pan and bake blind at 400˚F until golden brown. 2. Dissolve sugar with salt in 3/4 cup of the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water and stir into the sugar-water mixture. Stir constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks with lemon juice until slightly thickened and stir into cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and bring back just to a boil. Take from heat and stir in the butter and grated lemon rind. Cool slightly and fill the baked tart shell. 3. To make meringue: Place egg whites, at room temperature, in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add salt and start beating with a whisk attachment. Once frothiness has been achieved, slowly start adding the granulated sugar and the cream of tartar. Continue to beat at high speed until the egg whites just begin to hold stiff peaks. Do not overbeat or the whites will become dry and start to separate. Mound the billowy, cloud-like meringue onto the tart and bake in a preheated 375˚F oven until golden. TAKE a LOOK:  I don't consume a lot of hot chocolate. I'm an espresso addict and that's my go-to drink of choice. A cappuccino always in the a.m. and sometimes, in the afternoon, an espresso con panna; espresso topped with a dollop of thickened, heavy cream. I usually don't think about making hot chocolate until it's cold outside and I have some homemade marshmallows on hand. But my feelings about drinking hot chocolate regularly have just changed dramatically. When I returned from Paris this fall, I started watching, I'll Have What Phil's Having, on PBS. I became hooked on the series where Phil Rosenthal showcases (humorously) the food scene of various locations around the world. Not long after I returned from Paris, Phil was in Paris. The episode began with Phil stopping at Angelina on Rue de Rivoli for a Chocolat Chaud. Angelina was closed however for renovation. He continued onto Les Deux Magots on the Boulevard Saint Germain where he finally drank, what seemed to be, a remarkable Parisian hot chocolate. Several times on this recent visit I walked right past Les Deux Magots and never considered stopping to down a memorable Chocolat des Deux Magots à l'ancienne. I think I need to go back... soon...  So now. I've been thinking of nothing else but Parisian hot chocolate, and this past week I set about making what I think is the best chocolat chaud that you can mix up in your own kitchen. I ran across this recipe that was copied onto a scrap of paper (as I often do) a year or two ago. I wish I could remember who developed this amazing hot chocolate, but unfortunately I don't have a clue. Whoever it is should know that it's the best I've had. This recipe makes a good amount of drinking chocolate. Good thing is, it keeps nicely in the refrigerator for several days and can be easily reheated when you desire a treat. And I don't feel it needs any embellishments, It is absolutely perfect just the way it is.   • Chop 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate and bring 3 1/2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream to a low simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Add chocolate, 4 teaspoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt (kosher or fleur de sel). Whisk until chocolate melts, then cook while whisking for 4 minutes until smooth, creamy, and thick. TAKE a LOOK: 
We welcomed 2015 with our annual New Year's Day Brunch. And I must ask, how do so many people take such stunning photos of their elaborate meals? Documenting my brunch is usually an afterthought. There is just too much going on in my kitchen! Maybe next year I'll ask everyone attending to bring along their cameras (or phones) and click away. I did, however, get a few shots of the celebration, and here they are! ABOVE... Gruyére Gougéres and Canelés de Bordeaux welcomed our guests, along with Pomegranate Champange Punch to wash it all down. 
• Pomegranate-Champagne Punch (recipe HERE) • Gougéres • Canelés de Bordeaux (recipe HERE) • Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Corn Pancakes • Oranges with Vanilla and Rosemary (recipe HERE) • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Walnuts (recipe HERE) • Tartine's Banana Cream Tart with Chocolate and Caramel 
My friend Lynn arrived early to assist me in the kitchen. Without her help, we would have been eating hours later... a New Year's Day dinner instead of brunch. 
I have to admit, everything on the menu was pretty delicious! I quadrupled the recipe for Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs. After braising the ribs, I was left with a huge pot of beer broth to reduce. I did that very slowly, and was rewarded with a thick, dark, flavorful sauce for the shredded beef. I roasted enough of the Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Walnuts (recipe from Stacey Snacks) to have leftovers. The first thing I thought about this morning was heating up a bowl of the sprouts for breakfast. Unfortunately for me, my husband was thinking the same thing. I found the empty container in the sink... 
• recipe from BREAKFAST for DINNER by Lindsay Landis & Taylor Hackbarth Makes 4 servings FOR THE SHORT RIBS • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • 1 1/2 pounds beef short ribs • 1 large yellow onion, chopped • 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped • 1 (14.9-ounce) can beer, preferably a stout such as Guinness • 1 cup beef broth • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 tablespoon honey • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon salt • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste FOR THE PANCAKES • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour • 2/3 cup cornmeal • 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 3/4 cup whole milk • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (I used frozen corn) • Olive oil, for cooking • 1 Granny Smith apple, diced 1. Preheat oven to 300˚F. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ribs and sear for approximately 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly on all sides. Transfer ribs to a plate. 2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and jalapeños to the pot; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beer and broth, and cook briefly, stirring to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the brown sugar, tomato paste, honey, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the short ribs and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, turning the ribs once, until the meat is very tender. Remove ribs from liquid and when cool enough to handle and shred the meat. Dispose of bones and any fat. Place the beef in an airtight container and refrigerate. 3. Transfer the liquid to a large bowl or pitcher and refrigerate until cold and the fat has solidified on top. (You can do this up to a couple of days ahead as I did). Remove as much fat as possible from the liquid. 4. When ready to proceed with the recipe, return the liquid to a large saucepan and over medium heat, reduce the liquid by at least one-third. I quadrupled my recipe and had a huge amount of liquid. I reserved about 4 cups to freeze for future use, and reduced the remaining beer-broth liquid over medium-low heat to about half of its original amount. I then stirred in the shredded beef, and simmered the mixture, until heated through. 5. While the broth was reducing, I mixed up the pancake batter. Preheat oven to 200˚F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the corn kernels. 6. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large, non-stick skillet (I prefer to use cast iron). Heat over medium-high heat and when hot, drop batter into the skillet and spread into 3-inch rounds. Cook until golden brown, flip and brown the other side. Place the pancakes on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while making additional pancakes. To serve, top each pancake with the braised, shredded beef. Sprinkle with diced Granny Smith apples. 
Tartine's Banana Cream Tart with Chocolate and Caramel 
I always say, if anything happens to the main course... there's still dessert! And this Banana Cream Tart was as good as I remember it being when I sampled a piece at Tartine in San Francisco several years ago. After our brunch, there was one slice left. When all of our guests departed, I ran into the kitchen and downed that remaining slice; no sharing by me. It was probably pay-back when my husband left me with an empty brussels sprouts container. 
TAKE a LOOK:  It has been slow settling back into my normal routine. We arrived home from Provence and Paris Thursday evening. An early Friday morning chouquette baking spurt was followed by preparation of a huge dinner on the patio that night. Susan and Renate, my traveling companions, weren't flying out until Saturday. My husband also planned to leave Saturday for his father's home in Iowa. The meal was a combination welcome home and Father's Day celebration. We had perfectly glorious weather and dined on radish sandwiches and a rib-eye steak salad with roasted peppers, Parmesan chards, and tiny potatoes drizzled with a balsamic-olive oil vinaigrette. Dessert was a strawberry-rhubarb custard tart. The upcoming days (possibly weeks) will be filled with photos and stories about our travels through Provence and our short, one-night return stay in Paris. The drink above is an aperitif cocktail Renate and I enjoyed outdoors at a small café on the corner of Rue du Dragon and Rue de Sèvres on the left bank of Paris. I'll be serving this next weekend at a dinner I'm planning on the patio. le Parisien Aperitif... • I am leaving the ingredient amounts of this cocktail up to you. Combine Vodka with Fresh-Squeezed Grapefruit Juice. Top off with French Champagne... ENJOY! TAKE a LOOK... 
With spring just around the corner, I am looking forward to warmer days ahead and pulling my bicycle from the dark corners of my home's basement. Bicycling is my favorite form of exercise in the spring, summer and fall, but during the winter months, I will head to a local health club -- occasionally -- for a workout. And what I've realized is -- when I'm there -- I am the only person exercising while reading food magazines... the only one (Do you also find that hard to believe?). Before I head out the door, I go through my stacks of Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and old Gourmets, picking out several to read while sitting on a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill. And when I'm back at home, if I am not reading food magazines or cookbooks, I am on my computer looking for food-related websites that inspire. One site that I've recently come across is Kayotic Kitchen in the Netherlands and found Kay's recipe for Pink Peppercorn Hot Chocolate irresistible. 
And silly me. I thought that since I was also giving my husband a serving of the Pink Peppercorn Hot Chocolate, I would double the recipe. That meant I melted 14-ounces of bittersweet chocolate to stir into 3 1/3 cups of warmed milk. After my first sip, I quickly realized that I did not want a 6-ounce cup of the hot chocolate, but a demitasse instead. It's like drinking a bar of chocolate. But it is so unbelievably good! Of course, I also doubled the recipe for the Pink Peppercorn Syrup. Next time, I will triple the amount of syrup I make, and add even more pink peppercorns to the mix. It has a wonderfully delicious, spicy-cinnamon flavor, and I found myself pouring a lot of it into the hot chocolate, which gives it a nice little kick. I keep both the chocolate and syrup stored in the refrigerator, and each day heat up enough for my little demitasse shot of heaven... my little treat! 
I will send you directly to Kayotic Kitchen where Kay will walk you through the recipe... recipe for Pink Peppercorn Hot Chocolate HERE. 
TAKE a LOOK:  It's over. The months of planning and anticipation. Finished. The wedding was beautiful! Many of you mentioned you'd like to see photos. My camera was banned by my family. I'm not quite sure why. Some photos on this page are from the photographer, a few from cell phones, and once back home for the morning-after-breakfast, finally my camera.   One of our top requirements for this wedding, was that the food be exceptional. I think we accomplished that -- Heavy hors d'oeuvres at the reception from Fabulous Catering. Our wall-of-cakes from James Beard nominee Michelle Gayer's Salty Tart. We (I mean, I) went a little crazy, ordering 11 cakes. But with varieties like Pear with Burnt Caramel, Chocolate Mocha, Apple Spice, Lemon Curd, Surly Chocolate, to name a few, plus the tiered vanilla wedding cake with passion fruit curd filling and vanilla bean buttercream frosting, how could we not?  No... your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Those are pigs on top of the wedding cake.  Bagged Homemade Marshmallow guest favors made by the Mother-of-the-Bride (a.k.a. me).  I am thrilled that I took my own advice, and made the Sunday morning breakfast for 30+ easy. • • • • • • • • • • • • •  • bagels (purchased) with flavored cream cheeses (made by me) • chocolate and almond croissants (from a fabulous Vietnamese bakery in St. Paul) • smoked salmon with red onion, tomatoes, and capers • fresh fruit • Daniel Boulud's Fresh Fruit Punch • Mimosas • Starbuck's coffee   Flavored Cream Cheeses BACON-GREEN ONION: • 2 bunches green onions, white part only, thinly sliced • 1 teaspoon whole milk • 8 slices bacon, diced, and cooked until crisp • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Combine onions, milk, and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Stir in the bacon and salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before serving. STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE: • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries • 4 tablespoons powdered sugar Combine the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before serving. CINNAMON SUGAR CREAM CHEESE: • 16 ounces cream cheese • sugar, to taste • cinnamon, to taste This one, the amounts are up to you. Blend all together in the bowl of a food processor.    Daniel Boulud's FRESH FRUIT PUNCH The New York Times Magazine | November 1, 1987 • 3 cups freshly squeezed grapefruit juice • 3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 1/2 cups finely diced very ripe pineapple flesh • 1 1/2 cups finely diced ripe bananas • 4 tablespoons grenadine • 4 tablespoons sugar 1. Combine the ingredients in a blender. Blend as thoroughly as possible. This can be done in batches. 2. Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the mixture, as blended, through the strainer and into the bowl. Press the solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and refrigerate the liquid until cold. This recipe serves 8-10. I doubled the recipe and served the punch with champagne for mimosas!  Yes, she was at the party... in her dress. TAKE a LOOK:  When we moved to St. Paul, Minnesota some 26+ years ago, there was a French bakery in our neighborhood named Napolean's. It was good. Really good. Actually, no...I'd have to say it was exceptional. So exceptional, that even though it's been gone now for some 20 years, I still think about it whenever I pass by its incarnation (of which there have been many). To this day, there has not been a bakery in St. Paul that even comes close to producing the same quality of French pastries. One winter when my daughter was about 4 years old, we had a huge snow storm. Suffering some cabin fever, I was desperate to get out and decided to go to Napolean's for a cappuccino and a treat, with promises to my daughter of hot chocolate. Of course, with the heavy snows, there was no way I was going to get in a car and drive. The chances of getting stuck were too great. I bundled up my daughter and myself, put her on a sled, and pulled her the approximate mile to Napolean's. After trudging through knee-deep snow with frigid, whipping winds, we arrived, only to find that it was closed -- due to the weather. (It never occurred to me to call first... duh!) The pastries and coffees served at Napolean's were worth risking life and limb (or at least frostbite).  One thing I always purchased on a visit to Napolean's was a cappuccino. But the cappuccino made there didn't consist of just espresso and steamed milk. There also happened to be a big chunk of chocolate at the bottom of the cup; plus... whipped cream on top! A café mocha, actually. And, it was divine!  It's what I've been making recently at home. Not every day, of course. Only when I feel I need a little treat.  • big chunk of chocolate • double-shot of espresso • hot steamed milk • sweetened, whipped heavy cream Serve with croissant aux amandes if possible TAKE a LOOK:  A couple of weeks ago I spoke with a friend who lives in southern Missouri. Each and every phone call we have, our conversation includes our gardens -- our vegetable gardens to be exact. Whatever is happening in my friend's garden 500 miles south, will also happen in my own garden -- a month later. That is, however, unless it's 2012... the year of weirdness. How weird you ask? Well, we have never eaten dinner on our patio in March. On March 14th of this year, we officially opened the patio and dined comfortably in 70+ degrees. That was until we were forced to return indoors because of... mosquitoes! I have never seen a mosquito in March. Remember, I live in Minnesota. A normal winter usually knocks them out until June. My friend in Missouri mentioned that her asparagus was almost ready for picking. I told her how I've tried several times to plant asparagus in my garden, but it always dies off. She said she has the same trouble with rhubarb. Hard for me to believe. Rhubarb is the weed in my garden. My plants are enormous. They multiply. I end up giving bagfuls of rhubarb away to friends. I NEVER make a rhubarb tart until mid-May because my plants aren't large enough to use before then. That is, unless it's spring 2012...  See what I mean? I have eight plants this size. I am scrambling this year to use it up -- quickly. It's already going to seed!  And, you understand, I can't eat a rhubarb tart every day, so I've been making rhubarb syrup... so, so EASY! And with the rhubarb syrup -- gin and rhubarb cocktails.  A refreshing little drink for those lazy, summer days just around the corner. Invite a friend, relax, and enjoy the day! I did.   Rhubarb Syrup • 2 cups sliced rhubarb • 1 cup water • 1 cup sugar 1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb has broken down. Remove from heat and let cool; strain. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Gin & Rhubarb Cocktail :: The recipe below will make one cocktail. • 1 ounce rhubarb syrup • 1/2 ounce lime juice • 1 1/2 ounces gin • 1 ounce seltzer -- plus additional seltzer, optional • lime slices, for garnish 1. Combine rhubarb syrup, lime juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. (I usually am making more than one cocktail at a time and multiply the ingredients in a pitcher, add ice, and stir). Shake for 10 seconds and strain into a glass. Top with the selzer water (I dilute mine with additional seltzer). Serve with lime slice. TAKE a LOOK:  Refreshing -- this is what I love to guzzle when the weather is hot... and believe me, it has been hot! WATERMELON BASIL WATER  • 3 cups watermelon cut into tiny cubes • 12 cups spring water, chilled • 10-12 basil leaves, julienned Combine all of the ingredients in a large container and chill 24 hours. If you prefer your drink a bit sweeter, stir in some simple syrup (equal amounts of sugar and water that are brought to a boil in a small saucepan, then cooled -- keep refrigerated). TAKE a LOOK: |
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