rhubarb ginger syrup

over the past few years, rhubarb has become one of my true favorites. of course i love the flavor. but the fact that it is perennial and requires little to no maintenance ranks it high on my list as well. both of the homes i've lived in in minnesota have come with their very own (and very large) rhubarb plants...our current home has two! but most of all what i love is that rhubarb is the first plant to be ready for harvest from the garden. especially after this year's very extended winter. those bright red stalks and huge elephant ear leaves are such a welcome sight in my garden, and my kitchen.

i have tried many delicious rhubarb recipes, but one of my favorites is rhubarb syrup. i like to use it to make rhubarb sodas (which is especially exciting this year, given my limited refreshing beverage options!). this year, i modified my recipe a bit with some ginger, and replaced the sugar with honey since we have such an abundance from our backyard bees.

enjoy!

rhubarb ginger syrup
(adapted from culinate)
(makes about 2.5 cups of syrup)

1.5 cups chopped rhubarb
a few big slices of ginger
3/4 cup honey
1.5 cups water

add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. cook for 15-20 minutes (until the syrup turns pink) and strain out rhubarb and ginger pieces. i don't like my soda too sweet so i only add about 1 tbl or so to a glass of sparkling water but you can decide how you like it. you'll notice that once it's diluted, it doesn't look pink anymore. oh well, it's still delicious! this will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. be sure to shake the jar of syrup before each use as the honey will settle. you can also can the syrup, processing as you would for jam. (i've done this before and it is so amazing to enjoy rhubarb soda in the dead of winter!)