happy hour! ~ strawberry rhubarb cocktail on the rocks

Justin and I are not ones to shy away from a good cocktail- we have been known to have impromptu happy hours, even if it is just the two of us -complete with bar mix & cauliflower buffalo wings.

Most often than not, our happy hours consist of home-brew & vodka tonics. I was inspired by this post over at Oh, Lady cakes  -  until then I had never heard of Art in the Age. After reading their story I was convinced this was most likely the best line of liquor ever to exist- socially & environmentally responsible, organic & passionate, this is a company that is committed to creating the best possible liquor for your cocktail making experience. If you have a few minutes you should definitely head on over to their site to learn more about what & how they do what they do best. Luckily, my local liquor store carries the Art in the Age line - I came home with Snap, Root & Rhubarb, I was one happy girl.

Admittedly,  the bottles sat atop our side table for a couple weeks. Not sure exactly how I wanted to enjoy my first cocktail made with this amazing liquor, I waited until inspiration hit- I wasn't about to screw this up.

Inspiration cam in form of a Strawberry Rhubarb Cakelette (recipe coming soon!) - a bit of strawberry rhubarb syrup was leftover from the cakes, it was just begging to be made into a summer cocktail.

This is the kind of drink that makes you feel grown up - the method of creating the drink is relaxing in itself. Fresh tarragon from the garden muddles with a syrup made from freshly picked strawberries & rhubarb from the market made a tasty little drink indeed. One that is made for sipping and not as a beer pong chaser (Justin and I make a pretty unbeatable beer pong/beruit team).

If you don't fancy yourself a cocktail or two, you can easily make this without the Rhubarb- but really, if you have the means and the ability to track Art in the Age Rhubarb (and are able to enjoy alcohol), do it this weekend - I promise you won't regret it.

 Strawberry Rhubarb Cocktail on the rocks

makes 1 cocktail

you will need:

1 (1) oz shot of Rhubarb Liquor

2 tbsp strawberry rhubarb syrup*

small sprig of tarragon

Sparkling Water such as S Pellegrino

3 ice cubes or crushed ice

assembly:  

*for the syrup

in a small sauce pan combine 1/2 cup sugar, juice of 1emon, 3/4 cup chopped rhubarb & 11 strawberries quartered. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium low and simmer until strawberries and rhubarb begin to soften and breakdown- about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour mixture into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and strain. Reserve the strawberries and rhubarb to use when baking or to top your morning oatmeal.

In a low ball glass, muddle 2 tbsp syrup with tarragon. Add crushed ice, the shooter of Rhubarb liquor- top off with San Pellegrino or sparkling water.

Enjoy!