Slow Learner
1 oz Bourbon (I used Elijah Craig)
0.5 oz Aalborg Akvavit
0.5 oz Benedictine
0.5 oz lemon juice
2 dashes Hella Bitters Wormwood
0.75 strawberry rhubarb syrup
Shake ingredients well with ice and strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with a strawberry and a lemon peel.
NOTES: I honestly didn’t expect this one to work out as well as it did. A little wormwood can go a really long way for me, and I have never actually pulled out the Akvavit to try in a drink, but in the end, this ended up being incredibly crisp and refreshing. To quote Jen, “I really like this one, and that’s saying a lot because we never agree on drinks.” Bourbon flavor came through without any burn, the wormwood added a slight bitterness, and the syrup is just downright delicious. By all counts, this one was a winner.
Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup
10 ripe strawberries
2 rhubarb stalks, cut into 1″ chunks
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Bring the water and fruit to a boil and then reduce to low heat. When the rhubarb almost completely disintegrates, add sugar and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Strain a whole bunch of times (I used three different grade strainers in order to gradually get everything). Allow to cool and bottle. Add an ounce of everclear and it should last a couple weeks, refrigerated.
NOTES: Really sweet, and really good. Rhubarb adds a nice tartness. Beware, however, this one yields very little syrup for what you put in. From the above recipe, we only ended up with about 1 cup of usable syrup.
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