Sarah and Dulcie's seasonal recipes don't stop at fork-friendly foods on their Two Tarts blog. In their new column, Locally Mixed, they expand on their interest in scratch-made sippables, and prove that cocktails are just as deserving of fresh, local flavors.

This week, Sarah and Dulcie put a surprise crop of rhubarb to good use.

- Sarah & Dulcie

Sarah bought her home within the past year, and one of the most exciting parts of getting to know a new house is discovering just what is growing in the gardens. While her yard was quite wild when they first moved in (to put it mildly), things are slowly taking shape, and cutting back the brush has revealed all sorts of treasures. One exciting find is a rather large crop of rhubarb! We got out the trusty juicer and developed this bright and springy cocktail.

To complement the rhubarb's puckery-tart flavor, we looked to pastis: the sweet, anise-flavored liqueur that hails from France. The sweetness tones down the rhubarb, while the anise adds an interesting herbal dimension to the drink. A splash of grenadine gives the cocktail its pink glow. (If you are interested in making your own grenadine, we have a tutorial here. It is surprisingly easy!) Our sweet little flower garnish is simply a few violas plucked from Dulcie's flower pots. These are smaller than pansies (making them great for adding flair to drinks or salads), but just as hardy and able to deal with Boulder's spring weather.

Rhubarb Anise Cocktail

Serves 1

1 ounce pastis 
2 ounces cold water
1 1/2 ounces rhubarb juice
1 teaspoon grenadine
Ice

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Like this post? See Sarah and Dulcie's previous topic: Spring Herb Mojito.

All photos by Sarah Welle and Dulcie Wilcox.

Sarah and Dulcie run the blog Two Tarts, which specializes in delicious recipes and cocktails using local and seasonal ingredients.