Spring is Here!

It has been a while since I have posted, and for this i am sorry. I was busy finishing up my Associate degree here at the University of Wisconsin- Washington County. After many hours and countless papers I can say I am a graduate.

The garden is back up and running, for the most part. I decided to include some lettuce this year. It is super simple to grow and can be rewarding if you care for it. I decided that I was going to construct a simple chicken wire fence to protect the seedlings from the evil gangs of bunnies who would like nothing more than a well tended salad.

Look closely and you can see 3 evil bunnies.

Plotting it in a small space next to the rhubarb it seemed to fit just fine, except the rhubarb was taking up lots of space. Time to trim the fat and begin the early harvest.
Rhubarb tends to be a polarizing plant; you love it or you hate it. Most commonly referred to  as second fiddle to the strawberry, this underrated gem can be both tart and sweet. Rhubarb can be used in pies, scones, muffins, custards, as a topping for sundaes, even barbecue sauce! I decided to try and create a clean and simple syrup that can be used on pancakes and cornbread. Better yet, a syrup that can be added to fizzy drinks. (both alcoholic or non-alcoholic)

For this recipe I chopped up about 4 cups of rhubarb, in 1" pieces, and put them in a large kettle. I then added 3 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar in the pot. Turn the heat on high and boil the mixture for approximately 15 minutes.

I wanted to preserve the juice and not the fibers, so I used a sieve lined with cheesecloth and let good old gravity do her work. After about 20 minutes the juice had drained and I discarded the pulp. Now on to the fun stuff!

I took the juice and returned it to the pot and kept the heat on low to keep the mixture warm. Rhubarb needs to be hot packed in order to retain safe handling practices. I prepped the boiling water canner and grabbed some smaller 1/2 pint jars and lids for the job. Ladling the hot juice into hot jars, leaving a 1/4" head space, I processed the half-pints for 10 minutes in the water bath. All four jars survived and pings approved. I look forward to tasting this in different ways, especially in a fizzy cocktail on a summer day!

Rhubarb Syrup

4 cups chopped rhubarb (1" pieces)

4 cups granulated sugar

3 cups water

Combine ingredients in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Strain the juice into a bowl using a sieve, or cheesecloth. Discard pulp. Return liquid to pan and keep warm.
Prepare water bath canner and jars. Ladle juice into jars, measuring 1/4" head space, and seal. Place into water bath and process 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool for at least 12 hours.

Have fun!