When we moved into our new apartment that is blessed with a garden (a rare luxury in New York City), I dug up a rhubarb plant from my mother’s house that she saw as a nuisance. It was very hardy, and always got huge since it was just left untended. My late father was the gardener of the family, and having lived in NY for the last 20+ years, any knowledge I learned from him about growing things had long since faded. Nonetheless, I was determined to develop my green-ish thumb.
So, with no ceremony, I dug a hole and plopped that rhubarb root into the ground, and was shocked to see it start to grow, It has never gotten very big, but still produced a respectable amount of shoots and this was the year I decided I should do something with it.
I was very pleased with how my Raspberry Rose Vanilla Shrub turned out, and our rose bushes are still producing tons of beautiful, fragrant blossoms. Why not utilize them again in another recipe? So, once again, I harvested a bowl full of blossoms, the rhubarb, and crushed up some cardamom seeds to create my latest concoction. This time, I opted for white vinegar, so as not to take away from he delicate flavor of the cardamom.
Once again, this can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, or processed in a hot water bath in canning jars to extend it’s shelf life. Enjoy in sparkling water, or in a delightful cocktail with an herbal libation like gin. As they say here i Northern Queens, Salud!
Rose Petal Rhubarb and Cardamom Shrub
- 2 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar,
- 4 cups lightly packed pesticide free rose petals
- 1 cup rhubarb, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 2 tbs green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 2 cups sugar
In a 1 quart mason jar, add rhubarb and rose petals.
In a small saucepan, add vinegar and cardamom and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add vinegar to mason jar, and stir contents with a chopstick or dinner knife to release any air bubbles. Top off with a bit more vinegar if necessary, leaving 1″ headspace
Put a lid on the jar (note: if you don’t have a plastic mason jar lid, hold onto the lids from regular sized peanut butter jars, they fit perfectly) and leave for 3 days at room temperature to infuse.
After 3 days, strain the contents into a saucepan and add the 2 cups of sugar. Heat until the sugar completely dissolves. If any foam forms on top, skim it off with a metal spoon.
Pour into swing top bottles, or into half pint jelly jars and process for 15 minutes in a hot water bath. Allow to cool, then add a tablespoon full or two to a glass of sparkling water. Enjoy!