Rhubarb Ginger Lemonade from Hola Arepa [RECIPE]

Zingy rhubarb lemonade with just a smidge of gin and Aperol

​After a long, soggy, cold spring, the weather turned on us. It's like Mother Nature is giving us the ol' "Oh, yeah? You don't like sweatshirts in summer? Well how do you like me know?" 

The best way to combat our sweltering environs is by staying plenty hydrated. We asked Christina Nguyen and Birk Stefan Grudem, the team in the cheerfully colored Hola Arepa food truck, for the recipe to one of their outstanding lemonades.  Here we have a large dose of sweet, tart summer heat relief with or without the booze. A perfect way to utilize those last cherry-colored stalks of rhubarb at the farmers markets.

Rhubarb-Ginger Lemonade
makes 1 gallon



1 bunch of rhubarb (trimmed)

4 medium ginger roots (peeled)

2.5 c. of fresh lemon juice

2.5 c. of simple syrup (half water, half sugar, combine in a large jar and shake vigorously until sugar is dissolved)

12 cups water (5 cups boiling water, 7 cups cold water)



1. Chop rhubarb and ginger into 1 inch pieces. Cook down in 5 cups of softly boiling water until rhubarb gets soft.



2. Strain mixture of rhubarb and ginger.  Keep strained liquid and refrigerate to cool.



3. Once cooled, mix lemon juice simple syrup and remaining 7 cups of water.

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