Saving Summer - Rhubarb Schnapps

I have a real love for rhubarb. As a kid in Oregon my mom grew a vast sea of strawberries in a rock garden. This garden was topped by several huge rhubarb plants. I remember her picking strawberries and rhubarb, her head covered in a scarf, crouched in the garden. She always trimmed off the big rhubarb leaves and made sure they went securely into the trash so none of the animals would get them since they are poisonous. 

I couldn't quite comprehend a vegetable that acted as a fruit and tasted so horrible raw. So sour your face would pucker up. But my mom worked her magic and made pies and jam with rhubarb that could blow your mind. Her Strawberry Rhubarb pie was a favorite of my dads. Sweet and tart with a beautiful buttery crust. Yum. 

I had an abundance of rhubarb from a friend and wanted to do something special with it. I love the idea of infused spirits and decided to concoct a rhubarb schnapps. 

Schnapps in America translates to a strong grain alcohol base mixed with any variety of fruit and other flavors, sweetened and producing a syrupy like drink. Why not Rhubarb? 

Start with about 2 pounds of rhubarb trimmed and washed. One 1 liter bottle of average vodka, 2 large jars with lids and 1 1/2c sugar. 

Divide the sugar between the jars. Slice the rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces and divide between the jars.

Put the lids on and give the jars a good shake. 

Pour in 2 cups of vodka. If it does not cover the rhubarb - add more. I used the entire liter of vodka. 

Put on the lids and give the jars a good shake. 

Now comes the waiting game. Find a dark cupboard to store this in for the next 6 weeks and up to 6 months. Shake the jars every other day for the first month - helps the sugar dissolve and turns the liquid a lovely pink. 

Drink chilled straight up or mixed with some sparkling water. You can also use it as a base for a cocktail or mix with champagne. Lovely elixer of summer!!!  

Radish Quick Pickles

I love pickles. When I was a kid one of my favorite after school snacks was a big green dill pickle wrapped in a paper towel. I was a weird kid. As a grown up I have loved to turn just about anything into pickles. And right now with the radishes going bonkers in my garden I thought I would pickle some. 

Quick Pickles are just that - quick. These pickles last about a month in the refrigerator and require no complicated canning procedures. What can you pickle? I love beets, carrots, green beans, onions, cauliflower and cucumbers. The fun comes in the seasoning - chili flakes, garlic, coriander, fennel seeds and black pepper. So many options! All you need is several caning jars with lids. I like a wide mouth jar if I have them - it is easier to fit he vegetables in. Vinegar - I usually use just plain white vinegar. But you can experiment with red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Each add their own special nuance. 

For the radish pickles I decided to add some red onion, garlic and lemon peel. 

I chopped up my onion and peeled my garlic cloves. 

My radishes were fresh from the garden so I trimmed off the green tops, roots and scrubbed them.

Next I cut them into bite size pieces. Many of them were pretty small so I left them whole. 

Then I packed the jars. I added the onions and garlic as well as some black peppercorns and a bay leaf. I topped the jars with pieces of lemon peel. 

Now to the brine - 

I like my brine vinegary. I also don't like my pickles that sweet. But you can add more sugar if you like. 

Quick Pickle Brine

• 1 1/4 cups vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

Bring to a boil on the stove and poor carefully into the jars over the vegetables. Submerging them. You may need to make double or triple batches of brine if you are making a lot of pickles.

Let them cool for 20 minutes - cover with lids and refrigerate. Let sit for at least one day before eating. Then store in the refrigerator for 1 month. 

They are great for picnics and BBQs - but mine mostly get eaten directly out of the jar!