Rhubarb Lemonade

Fort Mandan is holding a rhubarb festival today! What a great idea. Fort Mandan is a nice day trip from Bismarck; just pack the picnic basket and go. My plans today don't include the rhubarb festivities, but I was thinking this morning about the rhubarb recipe contest and what I would enter...


I'm guessing most people will bring pies and breads and maybe a couple jellies. And I'm guessing a picture-perfect rhubarb pie will win the blue ribbon. If I were competing, I'd bring a classic rhubarb-strawberry pie, lattice crust or maybe even cut-out star crust. With fresh vanilla bean whipped cream. And maybe a scoop of that scrambled egg ice cream on the side. Or not.

However, if I were entering just for fun, I'd bring rhubarb lemonade. It wouldn't win the contest, but I think it would be a hit with the attendees to wash down all those rhubarb bread samples.

Rhubarb Lemonade

3 cups chopped rhubarb, mostly pink part of stems
1 cup white sugar
1 cup sweet wine (riesling or white zin work well)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 cups water

In a medium saucepan, mix rhubarb, sugar, and wine; bring to a boil and simmer until rhubarb is soft. Strain mixture to obtain rhubarb syrup. Add the syrup to pitcher along with lemon juice and water. Stir and serve over ice.