Rhubarb Honey Soda
Photo: Ajna Jai / Contributor
Rhubarb, the brilliant-red stalk of a perennial plant, is from the same family as buckwheat and sorrel. Its name is derived from Rheum rhabarbarum, which in Latin means “root of the barbarians.” Native to central Asia, rhubarb has been used to cure constipation and inflammation for thousands of years in Chinese medicine and made its way via the Silk Route to Europe around the 10th century.
I enjoyed cooking with rhubarb, a hardy plant that can withstand cold and drought, for years while living in Canada where it was in season from spring through summer. With its gorgeous hue and strong acidic taste, it can transform into a chutney, pie filling or syrup — especially when paired with aromatics such as ginger and rose water.
Keep this syrup tucked in your refrigerator through the summer and pour it over ice cream or create a quick soda. The addition of gin or bourbon makes for an exciting cocktail.