Rhubarb Soft Drink
After more than two weeks of freezing cold, rain, hailstorms and other “attractions”, we finally have a warm, sunny spring weather. I thought it was an excellent occasion to write about my favourite rhubarb treat, namely the rhubarb soft drink. I must confess I have already posted this recipe a year ago, but I find it so exceptional and Iprepare it so often, I will probably be tempted to write about it every year.
I have always been a big fan of sour and acid food. As a child I would chew on the raw rhubarb sticks freshly picked in my grandmother’s garden and I have always loved this tangy drink my mum prepared in huge batches on hot spring and summer days and stored in a huge pitcher in the fridge. I cannot imagine a more refreshing and thirst quenching drink than a glass of cold rhubarb drink. Its unusual, characteristic smell, its tanginess and its fabulous colour will always remind me of hot summer days of my childhood.
The preparation is ridiculously easy and quick. The sugar/sweetener amount depends on everyone’s taste. I usually put a heaped teaspoon in one big glass (250ml), but strangely some rhubarb varieties do not need any sugar (at least for an acid flavours fan). The drink keeps – unsweetened – at least for up to a week in the fridge. Do not overdose the sugar, otherwise the drink will lose its tanginess and become bland. The colour depends on the stalks’ hue of course, so whenever I go to buy rhubarb on the market I choose the dark red ones.
WARNING: If you use rhubarb for the first time and the stalks have still some leaves, cut them off and throw away because rhubarb leaves are toxic.
Preparation: 1 hour
Ingredients (makes 1,7-1,8 liter):
500g rhubarb stalks, cleaned and cut in two/three pieces
2 litres cold water
sugar or sweetener
ice
Put the rhubarb into a big pan with water.
Bring to boil at medium heat and cook until the rhubarb completely softens.
Put aside and wait until the rhubarb drink cools down.
Strain it and refrigerate for up to a week.
Add sugar or sweetener just before drinking and serve with very cold or with ice.
Sissi, I love that this is the drink of your childhood. That makes it a special recipe. The next little pile of rhubarb I see is coming home with me and I am making this for my girls and husband. Maybe it will become the drink of their childhood.
Thank you so much, Barb. It’s very easy to prepare and usually children love it (probably because of the colour). You just have to adapt the sweetness to everyone’s taste.
rhubarb can made into drink also, i must take note on this. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Sonia.
That sounds like a wonderful drink and I’m so glad the storm and tempest have passed and you’re now enjoying some summer weather. xx
Thank you, Charlie. I hope we have started to have a real spring now!
Thanks for posting about it again. I will never forget your rhubarb drink, and if I am lucky enough to find rhubarb in a local supermarket here, I will try your recipe!
Thank you so much, Hiroyuki. I remember you told me that rhubarb is not popular in Japan. I have recently made my Japanese friend taste this drink and she loved it. I don’t know if you still plant vegetables, if yes, please let me know if you want me to send you some rhubarb seeds (I will check if they grow from seeds). It will be a big pleasure to make you discover it.
I still do, and I’m planning to start vegetable gardening next Sunday (the last day of Golden Week here in Japan). Thanks for your kind offer, but I hope that the supermarket I frequent will sell rhubarb some day. (I actually saw rhubarb sold there last year.)
I hope you can find them and start growing rhubarb. I think you might really like it. I’m looking forward to read about your gardening adventures of this year.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a rhubarb drink, but I am pretty sure I would like it (like you, I like acidity and sour quite a lot!) Perhaps a splash of vodka would make a lovely summer cocktail!! The colour is incredible.
Thank you, Eva. I think we have the same alcohol cocktails preferences too! Actually I make rhubarb vodka quite often (I have already a ready text and photos and will post it very soon).
My mom had a big patch of rhubarb when I was growing up, and we ate rhubarb in all kinds of baking. Maybe it’s time for me to break out my rhubarb pie!
It’s funny because this was the only thing my mum used to make with rhubarb. I only discovered rhubarb cakes and tarts as an adult. This is really an excellent soft drink.
I come from a home that LOVED rhubarb and my mother fixed it a hundred and one ways, but never this way. I love this drink. It would be better and better for you than dipping the stalk in the sugar bowl and taking a bite (like I use to do.) Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you, MJ. AS a child I used to eat the stalks without the sugar 🙂 My mum has never baked a single rhubarb cake (at least I don’t remember any), but this drink was a staple on hot days.
Hadnt thought of ever ever making a beverage of Rhubarb but now since you r mentioning it,.. of course, it makes much sense! I am pretty much like u, love the tnagy acidity flavoure of rhubarb and I would sit as kid too in our garden sucking the juice out of the stems.
Next time I am in europe, I ll recreate your rhubarb drink!
thank you Sissi for teaching me something new. =)
Thank you, Helene. I hope you can taste it one day. If you like acid food, you will love it.
I do this too, but I boil with beetroot for the sweetness and a more vivid red, so I don’t even need to add any sugar. I keep the rhubarb and beetroot as a compote, and then I just keep the leftover liquid as a drink (:
I love sour foods too. I even like sucking lemons, I’m not kidding. I didn’t know you could eat rhubarb raw!
Very interesting method! Frankly, I often drink it without sugar or even sweeteners… I really love very acid beverages. You can eat raw rhubarb as long as you omit the leaves. I always think it has such a hypnotising smell when raw, don’t you?
Siss, this is just a great idea. I have never made a rhubarb beverage in my life and I just think it’s brilliant. Simple but so lovely and I bet it tastes exceptional. I also like that you can leave it as tart as you wish and play around with the sugar content. I’m always overwhelmed by the amount of sugar dumped into commercial & resto beverages… it really turns me off fruit juice. Yet, you remind us that you can make a perfectly healthful and delicious drink that appeals to your individual taste… and what a gorgeous ruby red colour too!
Thank you so much, Kelly. It’s really good and as you say, it can be sweetened as much as one wants, with what one prefers and I sometimes even drink it without any sugar. It’s even more refreshing.
A lovely drink… your posts are always picture perfect and the food is pretty good as well. I’ve never tried rhubarb in any form so it’s obviously a flavour that I must explore one day.
Thank you, A_Boleyn, for these compliments. I’m really flattered. Rhubarb has a very special taste and aroma, difficult to compare to anything. I hope you can try it one day.
I love how you’ve always come up with different and unusual ways with ingredients. I’ve been seeing a lot of rhubarb recipes lately but this one stands out different even tho you say it’s so simple. I’ve never had rhubarb. From your description, I believe I might enjoy this since I do love cranberry juice. Is that a close comparison?
Ping, you make me blush. Thank you for all these compliments! I’m extremely flattered. You are right about the cranberry juice! I have never though about it. Even though it has no aroma (compared to rhubarb) and a different taste, the acidity and refreshing side are similar. I bet if you like cranberry juice, you would adore rhubarb drink. It has a more sophisticated taste and it smells like nothing in the world.
Hm? Not a cocktail this week? LOL! Just kidding – thanks for making non-alcoholic drink for me (and everyone)! What a beautiful color rhubarb create. I’ve never heard of rhubarb drink before – another unique and brilliant recipe from Sissi!
Haha! I also mix it quite often with vodka 😉 Yes, you are right, this one is for everyone.
What a stunning color! I’d love this drink (with lots of sugar!)…so lovely and refreshing, Sissi 🙂
Thank you, Liz.
Yes!! I’m so excited to see your rhubarb recipe! This looks just awesome – so refreshing.
Thank you, Katherine. It is refreshing indeed!
Ha, I just bought a big bundle of rhubarb today, what a coincidence! You know, I’ve often ended up with this kind of liquid when cooking the rhubarb, and never thought to drink it – presumably with your drink you can still eat the rhubarb afterwards, right?
I suspect it will be very tart, but I too really like tart flavours sometimes. Often when I feel so thirsty I want something like a really strong lemon juice mixed with some sparkling water to feel truly refreshed! This must be really nice when it’s all cold!
Hi Charles, I don’t think I could eat the rhubarb after straining the juice. First, it’s all mushy and looks really disgusting. Secondly, it has no more colour (the colour, the taste, the smell etc. goes to the liquid). I suppose it depends on the cooking method though.
It is very tart indeed but as you say, it’s perfect like this. I either add just a bit of sweetener or nothing. When it’s really hot, I don’t add anything. Actually I have always wondered how people in certain countries manage their thirst with sticky, extremely sweet tea (like in Morocco) because for me sweet drinks simply don’t work. It has to be either neutral (tea without sugar, water) or acid.
I, too, am partial to a sassy touch of acidity. Rhubarb does fulfill my yearnings beautifully. This sounds lovely and refreshing!
Thank you, Leaf.
This drink looks fabulous! I also have similar memories of chewing freshly picked rhubarb (and dipped in sugar), just mine used to come from the neighbor’s garden 🙂
Thank you so much, Gourmantine. My rhubarb came directly from the plant growing in my grandmother’s garden for many many years…
This is so beautiful! I did not realize soft drink could be made at home, especially with such stunning results 😀
Thank you for sharing my friend!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you so much, Choc Chip Uru. It is also extremely easy to prepare!
Your drink sounds like it would be most refreshing. Most years I find rhubarb in the markets but this year it has been missing.
Thank you so much, Karen. I hope it will still appear on your market.
It looks delicious Sissi! Unfortunately we do not have rhubarb in Greece can you believe it!
Thank you, Katerina. I don’t believe it! I was sure it grows all around Europe!