Rhubarb Slush

Jump to Comments

I think everyone’s grandparents had a rhubarb plant or two. Early summers would be filled with rhubarb pies and rhubarb crumbles, and if you were lucky you’d get rhubarb sorbet.

Rhubarb (also called a “pie plant”) can commonly be found at farmers’ markets this time of year. In Manitoba, the season for rhubarb has just peaked. As the weather gets warmer, the quality of the rhubarb will deterioriate, so if you want some, get it now. Also, if you have a few square feet in a summy spot in your backyard that’s just crying out for a plant, consider planting rhubarb. It’s amazingly low-maintenance; I think it thrives on neglect. If you look up the care and feeding of a rhubarb plant, you’ll find some info on fertilization and dividing it and whatnot… But to be honest, the rhubarb plant in our yard is at least 15 years old, and we’ve only done minimal care for it: cleaning up the dead leaves in the fall, and giving it a bit of water if we go a few weeks without rain.

A few things to note, though. If you have a new plant, please follow the care instructions. Don’t harvest any stalks the first year. Also, the leaves are very toxic. They contain oxalic acid, and should be broken off the stalks and discarded. (However, contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly fine to use them in the compost.) Also, if you get a bad cold snap after the leaves have emerged, do not eat any stalks with frost-damaged leaves. The oxalic acid may migrate out of a frost-damaged leaf into the stalk, thus rendering the stalk poisonous. (The stalks would be discoloured and mushy anyway, so don’t eat those!) Pick them off the plant and wait for new ones to grow. And, it’s a good idea to break off any flower stalks that develop, like those on my rhubarb plant here. This ensures that the plant puts its energy into making more yummy stalks, and not into flowers.

Anyway, everyone always makes rhubarb pie or crumble or cookies… We like to make rhubarb slush. It’s a fantastic summer drink, and - depending on how much vodka you put in it - sure to knock your socks off.

You’ll need:

* rhubarb (about 10 good-sized stalks should do)
* water
* 2.5 cups white sugar (if you like your drinks sweeter, use more)
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 1 package strawberry gelatin (or raspberry)
* vodka! (the good stuff, and none of that flavoured stuff, either)

Wash the rhubarb. Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 in pieces. If you have some extra-wide stalks, you might want to split them lengthwise first. Boil the rhubarb for 15-20 minutes, or until the pieces are very tender. Drain. Mix the sugar, lemon juice and gelatin together, and whizz the mixture in your food processer until smooth. (A blender might work, too.) Now, add vodka to taste. We like a lot of vodka in ours.

Put the slush into a bowl, cover, and place in the freezer for at least four hours. When you’re ready to use it, place one scoop of slush in a glass, and fill the glass with 7-Up.

A drink umbrella is optional.

3 Comments

Filed under Drinks, Eat Local, Gardening, Recipe, Vegetarian