Rhubarb kompot or kompot z rabarbaru is a refreshing drink for spring and summer. I remember reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. She and her family had just moved to an Appalachian farm and began a year-long experiment to eat only local foods.
Rhubarb kompot, Hangar 1 Mandarin Blossom Vodka, and tonic water.
They found January was not the best time to begin this project. After a couple of months without desserts, I remember their excitement when rhubarb, with its quick-growing stalks, was the first to ripen after winter, made an appearance at their farmer’s market. It was the first taste of spring.
You can enjoy this taste in a traditional Polish beverage. Since nothing is wasted in Polish cooking, the fruit, once stewed to make the beverage, is used as a dessert, a topping for oatmeal or yogurt, or even in baking. You may even get a piece or two of fruit in your glass of kompot.
My cooked rhubarb is in the freezer waiting to reappear with cherries in a pie or maybe with apples in szarlotka.
Great selection of Polish aprons – click on the photo to see them all at Polish Shirt Store!
I followed the example of AniaGotuje.pl and made my kompot concentrated. This gave me the option to dilute the kompot with sparkling water, sparkling wine, or with other mixers in a cocktail. The usual proportions for kompot are 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 – 2 pounds of fruit, a gallon of water, so I’m cooking the rhubarb in 2 quarts of water rather than a gallon.
Polish Rhurbarb Kompot and sparkling water
Polish rhubarb kompot would normally be consumed at room temperature from a juice glass, but I’ve enjoyed mixing it and having it over ice. Ice cubes – a definite sign of my American-ness! LOL
I’m sure you’ll enjoy the kompot with or without ice.
Smacznego!
Lois
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Polish Rhubarb Kompot
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minute
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 - 4 quarts 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Polish
Description
Polish rhubarb kompot – a fruity, refreshing drink for summer!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds rhubarb stalks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 quarts water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a pan, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a slow simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes.
- Strain out the rhubarb. Serve the concentrated kompot as is or dilute with water.
Notes
Flavors that go well with rhubarb if you’d like to kick it up a notch:
- Lemon – add a piece of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler
- Strawberry or cherry – add a few sliced halve to the rhubarb kompot
- Elderflowers – add a few sprigs of cleaned elderflowers to your mixture, or add some elderflower liqueur if using the kompot on a cocktail
Keywords: Polish Rhubarb Kompot
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