I normally don’t post about cocktails but this one is such a perfect summer drink I had to share it. When farm stand strawberries are in their peak, this is a great way to take advantage of the bounty. You only need a few ingredients to whip this thing up but you do need a shaker to incorporate it all together. While I’m not a “mixologist” I do know that a good rule of thumb for cocktails is if it has a citrus component it should be shaken, not stirred! The mashing of the strawberries is a bit of a chore but it winds up being totally worth it. I’m not sure if this is standard for fruit based cocktails but I actually like to shake the ingredients twice during two different stages. The first stage is to get the strawberry and water well mixed together to create a juice just before straining out the pulp. The final shake comes at the end to get everything good and mixed together. The results are divine and make for a perfectly delicious, refreshing drink on hot summer days!
Strawberry Rhubarb Smash Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 4 strawberries
- 3 dashes rhubarb bitters I used Fee Brothers
- 1 lime juice
- 1 oz water or more depending on desired consistency
- ice
Instructions
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In a metal shaker, add the strawberries and mash until the strawberries are smooth.
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Add a little water to the strawberries and add several ice cubes. Give the mixture a few good shakes.
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Strain into a cocktail glass, adding as much or little pulp as you like.
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Add the vodka, lime juice, simple syrup and rhubarb bitters to the glass.
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Add 5-6 new ice cubes to the shaker and pour in the mixture. Give it several good shakes. Strain out the ice or serve it on the rocks with fresh ice cubes.
