Use It Up: Rhubarb Syrup

I am very lucky to have an extremely healthy and productive rhubarb plant in my garden.  But every year, I struggle to use up the vegetable and not let it go to waste.

Side note...rhubarb is kind of fascinating in that it is technically a vegetable.  However, a long time ago {look at me...just full of specific details for you...winning story already folks!} vegetables were taxed higher than fruits {and perhaps they still are...again...all the details...}.  Because rhubarb is most typically used in sweet dishes vs savory dishes, much the way fruits {think strawberries or peaches} are used, the rhubarb farmer folks lobbied {because #America} to have rhubarb's status changed from a vegetable to a fruit.  And because #America...it was in fact changed.  So the rhubarb farmer folks paid less taxes and to this day, the American people still think this food is a fruit.  It is not.  It's a vegetable.  {Go ahead and infer my opinions on broken and backwards systems here....}

I came across several recipes for rhubarb syrup and thought that might be a fun addition to plain water, seltzer water, champagne, and perhaps even on ice cream {but I'm going to be honest...I don't ever use these things on ice cream...I know a lot of other people do though...I typically eat the ice cream out of the Ben And Jerry's pint like a chubby heathen}.  It was easy and tasty to make and something I will definitely do again before fall sets in.

RHUBARB SYRUP

Ingredients:

* 4 stalks of rhubarb, washed and chopped.

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 cup water

Directions:

Simmer rhubarb, sugar, and water together in a pot on stove for at least 20 minutes.  Allow to cool for a bit and then strain well- pressing gently to extract all liquid possible.  Store in jar in refrigerator for a few weeks.  Add to beverages and top deserts.