Two of summer’s best flavors marry to create a wonderful summertime drink. This Rhubarb and Strawberry Cordial checks off all of the boxes one would expect to find in a non-alcoholic summertime drink. It’s super tasty, has fabulous color, is refreshing and thirst-quenching, and can be made ahead and frozen.

Rhubarb, strawberries, citrus juices, and pink lemonade concentrate are the main ingredients in this drink. The rhubarb and strawberries are cooked with some water then strained through a fine wire mesh sieve. The citrus fruit is squeezed to extract the juice, then strained and added to the rhubarb and strawberry juice. Sugar is added and then the strained lemonade concentrate.

The exact amount of rhubarb/strawberry juice extracted from the rhubarb and berries is hard to predict because so much depends on the quality and age of the rhubarb and strawberries and their water content. The same holds true of the citrus fruits – how much juice you end up with will depend on the size, age, and juiciness of the fruit. Fortunately, this Cordial is somewhat forgiving in that, if you have a bit more or less rhubarb/strawberry juice and/or citrus juices, it really won’t matter. Now, if you have a lot more or a lot less than the recipe calls for, that’s a different story and it will affect the flavor of the Cordial, either making the rhubarb and strawberry flavor too watered down and weak or, alternatively, too strong. Too much of a quantity difference would also affect how much sugar should be added to the mixture. So, it’s all about judgment. For best results, I recommend staying as close as possible to the quantities of juices called for in the recipe and not deviating, one way or the other, by more than ¼ cup.

I make this drink when I can get both the rhubarb and the strawberries in season locally and then I freeze several bottles of it for use over the summer. Because of its beautiful jewel-toned color, I like to tuck a bottle or two away in the freezer for enjoyment over the Christmas holidays. Such a little treat of summer in the dead of winter! I recommend mixing the cordial with a clear soda such as Lemon-lime, 7-Up, or Sprite. Of course, if desired, it can also be made into an alcoholic beverage by combining it with a sparkling wine.

I find Mason jars work well to freeze this cordial. I sometimes like to use tall decorative bottles, especially if I am gifting someone a bottle. It makes a great host or hostess gift (don’t forget to include a note or tag on how to mix and enjoy the drink).

[Printable recipe follows at end of post]

Rhubarb and Strawberry Cordial

Ingredients:

2¼ lbs red rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2″ pieces (weighed after leaves and root ends removed)
1¼ lbs strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
2 cups water
(This should yield apx. 5 cups of strained rhubarb/strawberry juice)

1 cup granulated sugar
1 – 295ml can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
juice of 1 small pink grapefruit
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 small lime
(These four citrus juices, together, should yield apx. 1 cup strained liquid)

Lemon-lime soda (or 7-Up or Sprite)

Method:

Thaw frozen pink lemonade concentrate.

Squeeze the grapefruit, lemon, orange, and lime to extract their juices. Strain through a fine wire mesh sieve. Discard fruit pulp and seeds.

Combine rhubarb, strawberries, and water into a stockpot. Cover and bring mixture to the boiling point over medium-high heat then reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until rhubarb and strawberries are soft and mushy. Using a potato masher, mash the mixture to further break down the fruit.

Strain rhubarb/strawberry mixture through a fine wire mesh sieve into a large pot, heatproof bowl, or large measuring cup to extract the juice. Discard the rhubarb/strawberry pulp. This process should yield approximately 5 cups of rhubarb/strawberry juice. Straining the juice a second time through a clean fine wire mesh sieve to refine it further and remove any traces of the fruit pulp impurities is recommended.

Combine the strained citrus juices with the rhubarb/strawberry juice in a large, clean stockpot.

Stir sugar into rhubarb/strawberry and citrus juice mixture. Heat over medium-low heat to dissolve the sugar. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Using a fine wire mesh sieve, strain the lemonade concentrate into the juice mixture. Cool to room temperature then chill in refrigerator.

Pour cordial into large pitcher if serving immediately or pour into bottles, seal, and freeze for later use. Mason jars make good containers in which to freeze the Rhubarb and Strawberry Cordial. Whatever glass bottles are used, be sure to leave ample room in the bottles for expansion during freezing.

Yield: Apx. 7 –8 cups (depending on the water content of the rhubarb and strawberries used as well as how much juice is extracted from the citrus fruits)

To serve:

For individual servings, fill glass 1/3 full of chilled Rhubarb and Strawberry Cordial. Fill remaining 2/3 glass with chilled Lemon-Lime, 7-Up, or Sprite soda. Stir. Add ice cubes and a sprig of mint. Decorate glass with a strawberry or a lemon wheel, if desired.

To make multiple servings, such as in a punch bowl, follow the 1 part Rhubarb and Strawberry Cordial concentrate to 2 parts soda ratio.

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For other refreshing summertime drinks from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:

Rhubarb Cordial
Rhubarb Slush
Rhubarb Lemonade
Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade
Rhubarb Peach Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade
Strawberry Slush
Lemonade
Blueberry Lemonade