Chilcano de Rhubarb

Rhubarb-Ginger Pisco Cocktail

Give me a chilcano on a hot summer day, and I’m happy. The classic Peruvian version is simple to make: Pour pisco over ice with a nice squeeze of lime juice and top the cocktail off with ginger ale and a dash of bitters. This is a little more glamoroso version with ginger syrup and rhubarb-cardamom marmalade that our first mixologist at Paichẽ, Deysi Alvarez, created. My old friends in Peru would probably give me a hard time, but the traditional roots are all there—and this is one good cocktail.

• 1½ ounces (about 3 tablespoons) Rhubarb-Cardamom Syrup (recipe)
• 1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) fresh lime juice (1 to 1½ limes)
• ½ ounce (about 1 tablespoon) Ginger Syrup (page 235)
• 2 ounces (about 4 tablespoons) good-quality pisco, such as Portón
• 1½ ounces (about 3 tablespoons) club soda, chilled, or to taste
• Angostura bitters
• Small wedge of lime

Combine the rhubarb-cardamom syrup, lime juice, ginger syrup, and pisco in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake to the beat of good salsa music for a solid 10 seconds and strain into a tumbler or tall, narrow Collins glass. Top with club soda and a dash or two of bitters. Squeeze the lime wedge on top and drop it into the glass.

Rhubarb-Cardamom Syrup

Makes 1 to 1¼ cups (for about 6 cocktails)

For a cocktail party, double or triple the rhubarb marmalade and ginger syrup, and you’re ready to shake the night away. Since the consistency is almost as thick as marmalade, it doubles as a morning-after toast spread.

• 1 generous tablespoon whole green cardamom pods
• 1 pound rhubarb (about 4 large stalks), ends trimmed and coarsely chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 ounces (¾ cup) fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Lightly crush the cardamom pods using a mortar and pestle, or place the pods on a flat work surface and press on them lightly with a heavy skillet to break open the shells. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the cardamom and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the pods just begin to darken, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup water (it will sizzle when it hits the pan), the rhubarb, and the sugar, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the rhubarb is very tender, like stewed apples, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and vinegar, and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.

2 Strain the syrup into a medium bowl. Use a spoon to press the rhubarb pulp to release as much juice as possible, and wipe any accumulated juices off the bottom of the strainer. You should have about 2 cups of syrup.

3 Return the strained syrup to the saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the syrup has reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely. The syrup will thicken to have a more jamlike consistency as it cools. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.