Cinnamon Ginger Rhubarb Cooler

Cinnamon Ginger Rhubarb Cooler;
​a refreshing sweet & sour, cool & spicy beverage.

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Ingredients :

• Enough rhubarb to fill a pot 2/3 of the way.
• Enough fresh clean, non-chlorinated water to cover 1' above contents.
• 2” inch length of Fresh Ginger peeled & thinly sliced.
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks , broken into pieces.
• Zest from ½ Fresh Lemon (maybe the juice too)
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• Sugar or sweetener of choice
• (Optional for color red berries or 1 leaf purple cabbage & 1 Cup water)

The Method :
(Note You are making a drink concentrate.)
(Do not use an aluminum pot)

• Wash & zest ½ of the lemon, set lemon & zest aside.

 

• Wash & chop rhubarb into about 1” and chunks place in a cooking pot, add enough water to cover about 1” above the rhubarb. Add fresh ginger & cinnamon sticks.

 

• Simmer covered on medium-low heat until the rhubarb starts break into strings. (about 20 to 30 min, it will vary)
• Now Add lemon zest & cloves

Note: You can also perk up the color by adding red berries to the pot at this step.

• Gently simmer, covered until rhubarb is broken down into strings.

 

• Once the mixture is stringy, add sweetener & stir it in.

(Keep in mind that you want it to be 2x sweeter that your final product.)

• Add vanilla,  & lemon zest, stir & simmer a just few moments until sweetener is dissolved.

 

• Allow the mixture to cool enough that it won't burn your tongue & taste it.

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• Taste to be sure it's sour &sweet enough, remembering that you are making a drink concentrate.  Add more sweetener if needed & stir it in.

           Taste also for tartness, if you want more squeeze in the lemon & stir.

• Cover & allow to cool completely. ​

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• Pour mixture through a strainer.

• Now look at your color, sometimes if rhubarb stalks are mostly green the color of your drink may not be so appealing.

If you want it to be more red you can make a food coloring from a red cabbage leaf.

• Wash & chop 1 leaf of red cabbage, cover & simmer in 1 Cup of water for 10 minutes. Allow this to cool completely. Strain & add just enough to your beverage concentrate to get the color you want.

 

• Pour a little in a glass & see how much water you need to add to make the desired strength of flavor. Mine came out to be 2 parts water to 1 part juice when using ice & slightly more water when not using ice, it all depends on what you like. Enjoy!

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