Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

There comes a day in every baker's life where absolutely nothing will go right. And I mean nothing. Perhaps it is the great Butter and Sugar god's way of telling you that you've had enough good fortune and it is time to share it with someone else. More likely, though, they look down at you from the marshmallow clouds and loathe you for your ability to make sweet treats so much that they curse you with bitter misfortune

This happened to me last Wednesday. It was a day so bad I can scarcely speak of it now, 4 days later. My mother told me this is one of those days I'm going to laugh about someday.

She's wrong.

Last Wednesday also happened to be my first blogiversay. I was supposed to be celebrating my love for pastry and heavy cream, but instead I spent most of it in meltdown mode, in tears over spilled cake. A little ironic, yes, but, as any food blogger would tell you, sometimes that's just how it goes.

I had originally set out to create a very elaborate meringue cake for you to celebrate one year of blogging. I prepped everything the night before and set out to assemble it in the morning. It was gorgeous. Stunning. Delicious. As I was wiping the last bit of stray chocolate from the cake stand to take photographs, it happened. The entire cake stand toppled over. I don't know how. I don't know why. I managed to catch the stand before it hit the table, but it was too late. The meringue collapsed, the layers slid, and 1/3 of the cake was sitting on the table.

A few choice words were said.

I was upset. It was my blogiversary. I needed to share something with you! It wouldn't be a blogiversary without cake!

In my stubborn fit of rage, I got in the car, drove to the nearest kitchen store, and bought myself a new cake stand. I went to the grocery store and bought more ingredients. Then I went back home and I spent the next four hours baking that damn cake. Again.

As I was assembling it, the bottom layer collapsed on one side. I sucked in my breath and tried to fix it up the best I could. It would have to do. After getting everything in place for the second time, I stood back to admire my work.

You won't believe what happened next. I still don't believe what happened next. What happened next isn't even physically possible.

The cake started melting.

It had become the Virgin Mary of cakes; I didn't even need to cry because my cake was crying tears of frustration for me. Sad, clear tears ran themselves down the sides of the cake. They pooled in the bottom of the cake stand, creating a puddle of misery. The layers weeped themselves right off the cake.

To put it simply, I had a meltdown. It wasn't pretty. Over $40 of cake was lying on the table or dripping onto the floor. My kitchen was an absolute disaster. And I still didn't have anything to share with you.

I had another four failed desserts that day. You can call me persistent. You can admire my determination. But, as it so happens, I just don't know when to throw in the towel. If there was any doubt before, you now know that I am undeniably not immune to (multiple) kitchen failures.

Sigh.

So it goes.

In this case, I think it's safe to say that when life give you lemons... make lemonade.

This strawberry rhubarb lemonade, however, is definitely not a kitchen failure. It is so light, intense, and unbelievably fruity. I had to stop myself from drinking the entire two quarts in one sitting. The strawberry notes in this lemonade really stand out. The sweetness of the strawberries is cut by the tartness of the rhubarb, creating this wonderful blend of flavors. This lemonade is such a bright, bold color that you just might find it difficult to look away. This is a drink you don't want to miss.

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Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberries were the fruit of my youth. In the summertime, they were consumed almost daily. We would chop up the strawberries and mix them into a bit of vanilla ice cream (topped with a generous dose of chocolate syrup, of course). On special occasions, they were spooned on top of angel food cake and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Usually, though, we ate them simply—sliced and sprinkled with a spoonful of sugar to make them sweet and ooze strawberry juice.

I never could resist liking that bowl clean.

One of my favorite bedtime snacks was the classic strawberry smoothie. I would sip them up on hot summer evenings. The chilled drink would always cool me down until I got goosebumps. The taste was close enough to a strawberry milkshake that I felt like I was getting a special treat even though my smoothie was anything but unhealthy.

Mothers are good at tricking you like that.

Nowadays I tend to enjoy them while strolling around outside or for a light breakfast when I'm on the go. One of my favorite qualities of smoothies is the versatility. They are perfect for all hours of the day. Morning, afternoon, or evening, you can always enjoy this understated treat.

This strawberry smoothie is a light, fruity drink that will satisfy any sweet (or health conscious) tooth. The base of the smoothie is low-fat vanilla yogurt and milk. Strawberries and ice provide a nice variety in texture, while a splash of vanilla extract will help round out the flavors. Remember, you control the amount of sugar in the drink. If you're afraid it may be too sweet (or you're watching your sugar levels), add a little sugar at a time until it is just right for you.

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Strawberry Milk

I've always had a deep love for milk. As early as I can remember, I viewed milk as a special treat. It didn't matter that it was always in the fridge or that I drank it at every single meal—it was still special. It was almost like getting dessert before the end of dinner.

When I was in my teens, I could go through a quarter of a gallon in a day. Milk was my water. I was, for all intents and purposes, a milk addict. 2% was my drug of choice. It wasn't until I discovered these dreadful little things called calories did I realize that maybe drinking so much milk wasn't doing myself any favors. About the same time, I realized I could eat more cookies if I drank less milk; a trade off I could definitely consent to.

My sister was just the opposite. You couldn't get her to drink a glass of milk even if you threatened her with no dessert. We told her she wouldn't grow up big and strong. We told her she would never grow tall. We told her these things and she still refused; she meant business. My sister was so drastic that she would refuse to have milk with her cookies. Believe it or not, she would dunk her Oreos in water instead (which she still will do, much to the chagrin of those watching).

Even with so much milk in the house, flavored milks weren't a part of my childhood. Occasionally my mother would buy chocolate milk to serve for dessert, but those occasions were few and far between. It wasn't until I was older and buying my own groceries that I noticed them in the stores. I was always tempted to try them, but with so much sugar, preservatives, and the lack of real fruit, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't until I saw a post from The Kitchn on making your own strawberry milk did it occur to me that I could make my own. The results were definitely worth sharing with you.

This strawberry milk is subtly refreshing. The milk is lightly sweetened (there is just a hint of sugar), but you could add more sugar to adjust to your own tastes. The strawberries stand out in this drink, making it a perfect substitute for the store bought version. Drink this chilled for breakfast or dessert.

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