Rhubarb Slush

The Sisters of St. Benedict recently shared Sister Gilmary Kempf’s rhubarb slush recipe in their community’s online newsletter, “Monastery Musings.” The warm May weather accompanied by an abundance of rain has gifted the monastery gardens with a bumper crop of Rheum rhaponticum (a.k.a. rhubarb). It sounds most refreshing indeed for those hot days ahead of us. CJK

Rhubarb Slush

(Benedictine Sister Gilmary Kempf)

8 cups finely diced rhubarb

2 cups water

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry gelatin

2 cups vodka or apple juice

Lemon-lime soda (such as 7-Up®) or sour soda

Combine rhubarb, water, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Cook until the rhubarb is tender. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin and either the vodka or apple juice. Mix well. Freeze in a gallon container.*

Once frozen, scoop a portion into a glass and pour lemon-lime soda or sour soda over it.

Yield: 15-20 servings

Notes that Sister Gilmary added to her recipe: *An empty ice cream pail works well for freezing the mixture. When using apple juice, the slush needs to be taken out of the freezer about a half hour before it will be ready to scoop.

A note from Carol: Benedictine Sister Gilmary Kempf (1933-2010) was a Sister of St. Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota, for 57 years. She served in elementary education for many years and later became a physical therapist assistant for her community. She also worked on the oral history program in the community’s archives and enjoyed volunteering in prison ministry at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility.