If you’re growing rhubarb, you’ve got the main ingredient for a pie or crisp. But don’t stop with these traditional uses of the rhubarb stems. Rhubarb makes wonderful cookies and cocktails. Here’s the rhubarb celebration that I cooked up today.

Rhubarb Cocktail Syrup

3 cups of Rhubarb, chopped small. (I did this in the food processor.)
2 cups of water
3/4 cup of light agave syrup

Put these in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down immediately and simmer on low for about 20 to 30 minutes until the rhubarb is mushy pulp. Pour into a strainer and let the liquid drain into a heat-resistant bowl or measuring cup. This syrup can be used in many cocktails.  It will keep in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.

I find that this rhubarb elixir is perfect when you add mezcal. The smokiness of the mezcal, combined with the tart rhubarb and the sweetness of the agave syrup are a perfect combination. Use an artisanal, small batch mezcal for the best flavor. If you like the zing that a hot pepper ads, chop two or three organic jalapeño peppers into a glass bowl and pour mezcal over them. Let these sit for about an hour, then strain the pepper parts out and put the mezcal back into the bottle. Keep this refrigerated.

Strain the cooked rhubarb and agave.

Chill and add the spirits of your choice. We used Mezcal this evening and it was perfect.

Rhubarb Oatmeal Cookies

Chop rhubarb in the food processor. Put 3 cups of this into a bowl. (Use the rest in your cocktail syrup!)
Add to the bowl:
3 cups of old fashioned oat meal
1 1/2 to 2 cups of chopped walnuts (you can quickly pulse these in the food processor before or after you chop the rhubarb)
1 3/4 cups flour

Set this bowl aside. No need to wash out the bowl of the food processor before going on to the next step.

Put into the bowl of a food processor:

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup of light brown sugar
Beat these until light in color and well blended.
Add:
2 Eggs
3 teaspoons Vanilla
Beat until well mixed then add
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Beat again until well mixed.

Put this butter/sugar/egg mixture into the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well with a spoon or spatula.

Here is how the rhubarb looked when I roughly chopped it before adding to the food processor. In the bowl is the rhubarb after I pulsed it a few times.

This is how the cookie dough looked after mixing.

Form the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball, and then slightly flatten them on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees.

Bake until the cookies are slightly browned as you see here. The rhubarb makes them moist.