Rhubarb Gin & Tonic

Many people have preconceptions about what a lady likes to drink. Often times more than not, people associate "girly drinks" with well, girls. I guess I'm kind of an anomoly. I actually quite love beer and prefer them ten times over mixed drinks. When I do hit that "hard stuff" I prefer gin, especially in the form of gin & tonics!

There's something so refreshing about the herbal notes in gin mixed with some fizzy tonic water, and of course with a good dose of fresh lime. After perusing through the Foodgawker and Tastespotting archives for rhubarb recipes, I was quite taken by the idea of rhubarb gin & tonics. It's the combination of my favorite drink with my new favorite Summertime ingredient!

The rhubarb syrup is simple enough, and actually, so is the cocktail - no muddling, shaking, or stirring required! Of course the color is just stunning, but the taste is just as well. You get a bit of tartness from the rhubarb that is incredibly delicious! And as it would seem, I guess I like girly drinks after all :)

Rhubarb Syrup

Yields: about 1 cup

Original recipe here.

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Combine everything in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook gently until the fruit is soft and the liquid has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to remove excess liquid. Pour into a bottle and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Rhubarb Gin & Tonic

Yields: 1 cocktail

2 oz. gin

5 oz. tonic water

2 tbsn. rhubarb syrup

Combine everything over ice, enjoy!

Gluten-Free Rhubarb Financiers

I know... I'm a little late with this whole rhubarb thing. Let me explain: I've never, ever tried rhubarb before and for the longest time, I didn't even know of it's existence. Ever since I had learned about it, I've always wondered what this mysterious fruit/ vegetable tasted like. This summer, I've been on somewhat of a lengthy quest to try to get my hands on some rhubarb;  I searched Farmer's Markets, specialty grocery markets, everywhere (or so I'd thought...).

You'll never believe where I found them, I'm still pretty baffled myself. Well, I finally found them at freaking Albertsons! Really?! After all this time, I found them at the regular supermarket? It was like I had been stuck by fate - they magically found me on the last days of Summer and boy am I glad.

I didn't really know what to expect with rhubarb but I was pleasantly surprised with the results - especially in these financiers! I've been eyeing financiers for some time now but never had the opportunity to make them, and I must say, I am quite enamored. The beurre noisette or browned butter smelled so incredibly divine when added to the batter and added this rich, nutty flavor. The poached rhubarb was slightly tart and had the most lovely texture, which I find very hard to describe, so you'll just have to try it yourself.


Since these are gluten-free financiers, it uses rice flour, which can easily be substituted for all purpose, but perhaps this is why I loved these little cakes so much, because they reminded me of mochi cakes, which have a dense and slightly chewy texture. You will definitely see me & rhubarb in the future!

Rhubarb Financiers

Yields: 12 financiers

Original recipe here.

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup unsifted powdered sugar

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

pinch of salt

4 large egg whites

1 cup poached rhubarb (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 375 F and position the rack in the center. Lightly spray or butter the inside of 12 financier molds or muffin cups with cooking spray and place them on a baking sheet, set aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter until it turns into a rich hazelnut brown color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes before straining it to remove the little dark butter particles at the bottom of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the powdered sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt on low speed until just combined. Add the egg whites and mix until all the ingredients are coming together. Add the brown butter, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Divide the batter among the molds and divide the poached rhubarb pieces evenly among the top. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Poached Rhubarb

1/4 cup water

juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb (about 1-inch pieces)

1 tbsn. sugar

Place the water, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and add the rhubarb. Poach for 2 - 3 minutes then gently remove the rhubarb from the poaching liquid and set aside (they will continue to soften as they cool).