Rhubarb Syrup

This post may be too late for all y'alls in the US, but up here it is rhubarb season and we have it coming out of the wazoo. Every year I make stewed rhubarb (not photogenic, but tasty) and the kids always balk at first but end up bolting it down with gusto. This year I did something different: I strained off most of the juice (making the stewed rhubarb thicker, like an applesauce) then boiled it into a syrup. It is absolutely wonderful in lemonade (as pictured) or in a glass of ginger ale.

You can play with the proportions, depending on how much rhubarb you have on hand. Here is what I did:

INGREDIENTS
- 10 cups chopped rhubarb
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
- 1 cup homemade strawberry jam
- 2 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD
1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 mins, or until rhubarb is cooked down and falling apart.
2. Strain rhubarb through a fine sieve (I use a spoon to stir/mash it a bit), taking a much liquid as you want (you now have tasty stewed rhubarb).
3. Put the liquid in a stock pot that can hold about 3 times the volume of the liquid. Bring to bubbling over high heat (it will foam up like cray, so use a large pot). Stir rapidly, until foam goes down, then cook and stir for about 5 mins, until liquid has become glossy.
4. Cool and store in the fridge, adding to drinks as you see fit. Pour the syrup down the back of a spoon to get the funky look pictured above.