Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade      

Ingredients:           
3 1/2 cups water          
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)          
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste          
Two 3-inch strips of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler plus additional for garnish        1/2 teaspoon vanilla          
2 cups sliced strawberries          
1 cup fresh lemon juice      

Procedure:           
In a saucepan stir together the water, the rhubarb, the sugar, 2 strips of the zest, and the vanilla, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and simmer it, covered, for 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the strawberries and boil the mixture, covered, for 2 minutes. Let the mixture cool and strain it through a coarse sieve set over a pitcher, pressing hard on the solids. Stir in the remaining 1 cup strawberries and the lemon juice, divide the lemonade among stemmed glasses filled with ice cubes, and garnish each glass with some of the additional zest.   Makes about 7 cups, serving 6.

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