Thursday, March 23, 2006

Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup

I'm not exactly sure when this started becoming such an issue, but lately I have been consumed with the idea of waste. Food waste, to be specific, we recycle and do our part to leave things tidy around here. But food waste plagues me, and I end up scraping together things into random experiments, some good, some bad.


Actually, I know exactly when this started, it was before Christmas of last year. I had decided to make candied apricots and followed a recipe that led me seriously astray. I was left with a half gallon of caramelized, soggy, mooshy apricots, and lots and lots of sugary bittersweet syrup. I was in a panic. I could not waste all of this fruit!


And so, I strained the apricots and mashed them into what turned out to be a divine conserve. I added vodka to the caramelized apricot syrup and made a liqueur that made dry champagne even more special. I saved Christmas. Okay, I'm being dramatic.


After making a lovely tart today, I was left with one rhubarb stalk, a cup of very ripe strawberries, and a lot of sweet syrup that the fruit had been soaking in. I tossed it all in a small saucepan, added another quarter cup of sugar, and covered in a little water. 2 hours of simmering and a thorough straining later, I am left with two bottles of gorgeous, rosy, sweet-tart Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup that begs to be drizzled on pancakes or (again) added to champagne. Not bad, right?

6 comments:

Passionate Eater said...

Your innovative ideas dwarf those of Martha Stewart's! Reading this post reminded me of reading a Williams-Sonoma cookbook. I agree with you, "not bad" at all!

Marianne said...

You're making me blush (and smile). Thanks so much for the kind words, it's so nice to have a community of people that understand my neurosis.

Skeezix said...

I'll take a glass of champagne with that please.

Owen said...

This all looks lovely! Really lovely - you have great ideas for fruit! And thanks for stopping by my place and saying hi! I really appreciate it.

lost in thoughts said...

Surfed here through Sweetnicks. The syrup looks yummy ! It can be used on icecreams & angel food cake too ?

Marianne said...

Skeezix--well, come on down to visit!

Owen, thanks for coming by!

Spicehut--I am prepared to drizzle the stuff on anything I can think of. Angel food cake sounds great.