Spring at Chez Sweetcakes, and that means one thing: time to revamp the garden – we’re in the midst of doubling the garden’s size, leveling out the bumpy spots, cutting away overgrown bushes, isolating the rhubarb so it doesn't overrun the raised beds, making the surrounding area pretty. Photos to come once the area is again aesthetically pleasing. Perhaps even planted.
Also, today, colored eggs. Delicious breakfast. With bacon. And there’s rhubarb liqueur underway. Based off a recipe from Cooking Light. Sweetcakes has just set this out to steep, so it’s two or three weeks until the verdict on its taste will be in. But with these few, delicious ingredients, how can it go wrong? Looks like the perfect drink for spring.
Rhubarb Liqueur
½ cup water
12 tablespoon sugar
3 pounds coarsely chopped rhubarb
1 cup Grand Marnier
6 cups vodka. (At Chez Sweetcakes, the vodka is always top shelf and rarely flavored. I recommend Grey Goose.)
1 vanilla bean
Make a simple syrup. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to boil.
Combine and stir the simple syrup, rhubarb, Grand Marnier, vodka and vanilla bean in a glass container with a lid that shuts tight.
Let it sit for two to three weeks. Strain the rhubarb and vanilla bean out of the mixture.
Serve with sparkling water, a sprig of mint or a slice of orange over ice.