Blended Summer Drinks, The Chi-Chi or its cousin the Pina Colada

Cocktails with Colleen

The blended drink is the easiest of the cocktails.  Technically it doesn't qualify as a cocktail, but as we live in the current trend of pre-mixed drinks, many might find this as elaborate as making a cocktail.

Because you are blending your ingredients, into a larger batch you have more extras than you do concentrated alcohol.

Therefore you can be loose with your measurements, as it really is just about the ratio. How much of a ratio runs to your own taste.

Zok is not a real fan of Coconut Milk in drinks, so I tend to use just enough for a creamy texture.

The trick in getting your blended drink to be like one you get when you are dining out, is to use crushed ice, which when blended will be really fine and thick and the drink can be drunk slowly without its parts separating.

Chi-Chi is when you use Vodka.

Pina-Colada is when you use Rum.

Vodka of course has a milder taste than Rum.

You would use a lot of ice, and about 2 parts fruit to one part Coconut milk.

Alcohol as desired.

I tend to put in one shot per drink.  You can always mix in a bit of alcohol straight to the bottom or top of the poured drink if someone prefers that strength.

Pineapple is juicy enough that you don't need to add in anything extra, but you could add in pineapple juice to sweeten or in a pinch if you don't have enough fruit. (Orange juice is an okay substitute but that will change the taste a bit)

Sometimes I add in mango which is a nice complementary taste.

 

 

Rhubarb Syrup

Here is how I made the rhubarb syrup.

 I was unsure about the color as I didn't know what type of rhubarb I was using (other than it came from our neighbor Rob's garden).

So the first batch is the reddest ends of each stalk (as pictured in the used maple syrup jug with red top) the other photo is the second batch using the green ends so you can see the color difference is noticeable.

When I looked on the internet I found too many conflicting recipes so I just treated the rhubarb as if I was making jam.

I cut the stalks into small pieces and put them into a large stainless steel pot.  I had roughly 4 cups of rhubarb so I used 3/4 cup of caster sugar. (you can always add more) and covered this with one cup of water.

I brought the mixture to a boil for about five minutes and then simmered for about twenty.

I took a large measuring cup, set a strainer on top, and for good measure I added some cheese cloth (the type that doesn't shed any material).

I alternated between mushing it through with a whisk, and doing other things around the house and just letting the liquid drip through on its own volition.

Because I was not storing the liquid for a long time, I did not process the jars.

I am going to do that this year to see how it keeps. 

I was not intending on keeping the now, somewhat pureed rhubarb left behind, but the first batch had a nice color, so I jarred it up to put on yogurt and ice-cream.

The second batch went into the compost for what Zok calls "the worm share".

Rhubarb is easy to grow, and each year there seems that the neighbors have more than they can cook so I have been venturing into using rhubarb as much as possible.

Rhubarb is an easy vegetable, and sometimes you get the bonus of a lovely pink color.  Zok makes pie filling from the end of year rhubarb, and we process the jars like we would an old-fashioned (Ball complete book of home preserving) jam.  We do not add anything more than the amount of sugar we want, and some lemon juice.

Then we take the jars and boil them as hot as possible for 10 minutes on the stove top to seal up the lids.

We don't expect to shelve them more than 12-16 months, and the coloring isn't an issue.

Clover Club Cocktail with Rhubarb Syrup

I altered the recipe for a Clover Club cocktail, substituting my rhubarb syrup for the grenadine syrup.

2 ounces gin

1 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce rhubarb syrup

1 tsp. egg white

Shaken in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice and strained into hollow stemmed, champagne glasses.

Of course you can omit the egg white.  This is what gives most old-fashioned drinks-fizzes and so on their texture or that foam you see in the photo that does not dissipate.

I only like eggs when they are disguised as cookies...or cocktails.

*I believe the trick to the best cocktail is fresh ingredients, and crushed ice.

Crushed ice in blended drinks makes for the longest lasting, smoothest finish on your tropical cocktails.  Crushed ice also makes for the coldest, and therefore longest lasting cocktails.  When the cocktail warms it will start to separate.

This is also a reason to make delicate cocktails in small amounts.

If you are having many people over than I would recommend going for something from the punch family or blended which can be made in large batches.