GOURMET TRAVELLER 1311 For soda, add rhubarb and
2.5 litres water to a large
saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a simmer and gently
simmer until rhubarb is very
tender (20-30 minutes). Remove
from heat, add strawberry gum,
cover, and leave to steep for
at least 2 hours. Strain, reserving
cooking water. Combine cooking
water, honey and whey, and
stir to dissolve honey. Pour into
sterilised preserving bottles
with flip-top lids and leave at
room temperature (no more
than 23°C) to ferment until
carbonated to your liking
(about 1 week; the bottles
are under pressure and can
occasionally explode so keep
them in a safe place and
carefully remove the lid every
second day for a brief moment
to release a little pressure).
Refrigerate to stop fermentation
(rhubarb and strawberry-gum
soda will keep refrigerated
for 1-2 weeks).
2 For rhubarb and rose granita,
combine ingredients with 50mlRhubarb and strawberry-gum spider
SERVES 8 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 30 MINS PLUS STEEPING, FREEZING
“I used to love drinking spiders as a kid and have tried to
embody the fun they bring with this recipe,” says Hunter. Start
this recipe seven days ahead to make the soda. For a faster
version, substitute the rhubarb and strawberry-gum soda with
strawberry kombucha or soda water sweetened with raw honey.
water and ½ tsp salt flakes
and stir to dissolve sugar.
Freeze mixture in a shallow
tray, scraping with a fork every
20 minutes or so, until fluy and
frozen (6 hours or overnight).
Cover granita and keep frozen
until needed.
3 For strawberry syrup, combine
strawberry juice and sugar
and stir until sugar dissolves.
Refrigerate until needed.
4 Place a scoop of ice-cream
into tumblers and drizzle a little
strawberry syrup over the top.
Cover with a few scoops of
granita, add mint, then pour over
rhubarb and strawberry-gum
soda. Add vodka by eye, if
you’re feeling like it.
Note Strawberry gum is
available from native-produce
suppliers such as outbackchef.
com.au. To make whey, spoon
500gm live yoghurt into a sieve
lined with muslin over a bowl.
Refrigerate overnight to drain.
Wine suggestion 2018 Jauma
Peek-a-Boo grenache pet-nat
from McLaren Vale. Vanilla ice-cream, to serve
Mint, to serve
Hartshorn Sheep Whey
Vodka, to get the party
started
RHUBARB AND
STRAWBERRYGUM SODA
1.25 kg rhubarb (about
2 bunches), thinly sliced
20 gm dried strawberry-gum
leaves (see note)
250 gm raw honey
250 ml whey (from yoghurt
or other dairy; see note)
RHUBARB AND ROSE GRANITA
800 gm rhubarb, coarsely
chopped and juiced (you’ll
need 400ml rhubarb juice)
45 gm caster sugar
1 tbsp rosewater (optional)
STRAWBERRY SYRUP
1 kg strawberries (4 punnets)
puréed, then strained very
well, pressing on solids
(you’ll need 500ml juice)
50 gm caster sugar