Together, rhubarb and strawberries bridge the spring and early summer. One is tart, the other sweet—they’re a natural pairing. This strawberry-rhubarb spritz (or bevanda di fragole e rabarbaro) brings the two ingredients together with a little fruity white vermouth, tart lemon, and sparkling water.

　　Color is one of the best indicators of a strawberry’s sweetness—the deeper red they are, the better. There should be no sign of a hard, white core around the leaves. We look for berries that are plump and have a little bit of shine. A great variety grown here in New York is called the Tristar. They’re small and round, sweet, and very red.

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'Via Carota' by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi with Anna Kovel. Buy the full book on Amazon.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2

　　

For the Rhubarb Syrup

½ lb. (225 grams) red rhubarb, about 4 stalks

　　1 cup (200 grams) sugar

　　Salt

　　1 cup (240 ml) sparkling water

　　

For the Spritz

10 small, ripe strawberries (about 6 ounces)

　　2 oz. (60 ml) Rhubarb Syrup

　　4 oz. (120 ml) white vermouth (not dry), such as Contratto Bianco or Cocchi Americano Bianco

　　2 tsp. (10 ml) fresh lemon juice (from half a lemon)

　　Sparkling water

　　

Make the Rhubarb Syrup

Step 1

Rinse the rhubarb and cut into short lengths (about 1 inch/2.5 cm). Combine the rhubarb with the sugar, a small pinch of salt, and the water in a small pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves (about 5 minutes), then turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all the syrup from the rhubarb. Discard the rhubarb (or save for another use). Rhubarb syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

　　

Make the Strawberry-Rhubarb Spritz

Step 2

Rinse the strawberries and set two aside for garnish. Hull the rest, and slice into quarters. In a cocktail shaker (or a large jar with a tight-fitting lid), muddle the strawberries and the rhubarb syrup. Fill the shaker with ice and pour in the vermouth and lemon juice. Put on the lid and shake vigorously for about 4 seconds. Strain or pour into two ice-filled rocks glasses and top up each drink with sparkling water. Drop a strawberry into each glass and serve.

　　From Via Carota: A Celebration of Seasonal Cooking from the Beloved Greenwich Village Restaurant by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi, with Anna Kovel. Copyright © 2022 by Jody Williams and Rita Sodi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book from Amazon or Knopf.