I recently attended a strawberry-rhubarb dinner at Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier’s restaurant Summer Winter, located in the Burlington, Massachusetts, Marriott. Arrows is known for its lush gardens supplying the restaurant with produce; in this suburban venue, the chefs have a greenhouse on a deck off the dining room, overseen by gardener Rachel Kaplan. This delightfully refreshing cocktail with a rosy glow was created by bartender Drew Jordan.

Strawberry Rhubarb Margarita

Makes 1 serving

Adapted from Drew Jordan, bartender at Summer Winter.

2 ounces strawberry infused tequila (see recipe below)
1 ounce Cointreau 
2 ounces fresh lime juice
1.5 ounces rhubarb simple syrup (see recipe below)
lime wedge

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then pour into a tumbler or margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Strawberry Infused Tequila

1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 bottle Patron White Tequila

Place strawberries in a large glass jar. Pour tequila over them and cover with lid. Allow to infuse at room temperature for 24 hours, then strain the tequila through a fine mesh strainer and discard the strawberries. Store infused tequila in the bottle, refrigerated.

Rhubarb simple syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 pounds rhubarb, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated.

Bahn Mi is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich with several components, all of which can be prepared in advance.

Adapted from The Kitchen.

Wine: Michael David Winery, Gluttony Zinfandel 2009 (Amador, Calif.)
Beer: Tuckerman Brewing Co. Altitude (Conway, N.H.)
Makes 8 to 12 servings

Pulled Pork
4 pounds Boston pork butt
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Chicken Liver Pate
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound chicken livers
1½ tablespoons chopped parsley
1½ tablespoons chopped basil
4 ounces cream sherry
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Pickled Carrot
2 to 3 large carrots, shredded
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon white peppercorns
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 star anise
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Lime Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
Dash salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Assembled Bahn Mi
1 sub-style hard roll, such as a baguette, per serving
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Chicharrones (fried pork rinds), optional

1. Prepare the Pulled Pork. Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray a roasting pan with vegetable cooking spray. Season pork well with salt and pepper and place in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 8 hours. Uncover and raise heat to 375°F and cook for 45 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until just cool enough to handle. Pull apart the meat to shred it, discarding any fat. Reserve the accumulated juices for another use. Chill meat until ready to assemble.

2. Prepare the Chicken Liver Pate. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and stir until fully sweated. Add livers, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, to prevent burning and sticking. Add parsley and basil when the meat is about half way to being cooked through.

3. When almost fully cooked, add sherry, being careful, as the pan may flame up. Cook down the alcohol, turn off heat, and let stand a few minutes. Add mixture to a food processor and pulse till fully blended. Put in a sealable container and refrigerate overnight.

4. Prepare the Pickled Carrots. Place carrots in a large heat-safe container. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining carrot ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over high heat. Stir to make sure sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and immediately pour vinegar mixture over the carrots. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Will keep several days, refrigerated in an airtight container.)

5. Prepare the Lime Mayo. Mix all ingredients together. May be made in advance and stored in a sealed container, refrigerated.

6. Assemble the Bahn Mi. Cut rolls in half lengthwise and toast. Smear pate on the bottom half of each roll. Top with some pulled pork, then pickled carrots. Sprinkle cilantro over, then top with a few pork rinds if using. Smear lime mayo on the top half of the roll and place on top of the pork rinds. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Thom Ray of Rudi’s Portsmouth.

1½ ounces Malibu Coconut Rum
½ounce X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

½ ounce pineapple juice
½ ounce grapefruit juice
splash grenadine
1 orange slice

Combine rum, Fusion, and juices in cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the orange slice.

Makes 1 serving

This tasty taco is made with ultra slow cooked short ribs, with homemade kimchi and apple slaw on a flour tortilla. To save time, if desired, use store-bought kim chi. Each component can be prepared in advance.

Adapted from Executive Chef Ian Thomas of The District.

Kim Chi

1 head Napa cabbage (about 2 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
10 tablespoons sugar, divided
¼ cup minced garlic
¼ cup minced ginger
½ cup coarse ground Korean chili powder
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
6 white anchovy filets, rinsed
½ cup julienned scallions
½ cup julienned carrots 

Short Ribs

1½ pounds boneless beef short ribs
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large carrot
2 stalks celery, including leaves
½ yellow onion, skin and root still attached (washed thoroughly)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2½ cups plus 1 tablespoon water, divided
4 slices North Country Smokehouse bacon
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Apple Slaw

1 red bell pepper, deveined and seeded
1 medium carrot
2 stalks celery
½ red onion
2 firm tart apples
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon Applecrest Farms Apple Cider Vinegar

Assembly

8 corn tortillas or 4 flour tortillas
4 teaspoons chopped cilantro
Applecrest Farms Apple Cider Vinegar to taste

1. Prepare the kimchi. Slice cabbage in half lengthwise, from stem to tip. Rotate and slice the cabbage into 1-inch pieces, about the width of your thumb. Place in a large sealable container and sprinkle the salt and 2 tablespoons of the sugar over the cabbage. Seal the container and shake gently to coat the cabbage. Let sit overnight at room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, chili powder, remaining ½ cup sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and anchovies. Beat it like it owed you money. Stir in the scallions and carrots and refrigerate, covered, overnight.

3. The next day, transfer the cabbage to a colander and squeeze as much liquid as you can; using your hands is easiest. Add the drained cabbage to the refrigerated carrot and scallion mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate overnight. Store in a covered jar, refrigerated, for up to month (but you will finish it before then).

4. Prepare the short ribs.  Preheat the oven to 250°F. Season the ribs liberally with salt and pepper. The ribs may be grilled or pan-seared. To grill, preheat the grill. Grill the ribs just enough to mark them—you’re not cooking them here, so don’t let them cook through. Just grill marks are okay; you want that charred flavor in the final product. Alternately, pan-sear the seasoned ribs in a skillet just to sear the surfaces. Transfer grilled or seared meat to a Dutch oven or deep roasting pan.

5. Peel carrot and cut lengthwise from stem to tip, slice again lengthwise to make four pieces. Place in a saucepan. Smash the celery with the flat of a knife against a cutting board and add to saucepan with the onion and sesame oil. Sprinkle with a little salt to help release moisture. When the vegetables release their juices and have cooked dry, add 2½ cups of the water, bacon, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil and pour over short ribs. Cover the pot and bake for at 250°F until meat is tender, about 8 hours.

6. When meat is tender, let cool. Remove the short ribs and tear into smallish chunks. Strain the remaining liquid into a saucepan and bring to simmer, skimming the foam off and spooning out as much fat as possible.

7. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and remaining 1 tablespoon water. Add to simmering liquid, whisking constantly until thickened. Continue to cook for about 3 more minutes. Add the short rib chunks and toss to coat completely.

8. Prepare the apple slaw. Slice the bell pepper into the thinnest strips you can manage. Cut the carrot into thin slices on the bias, and cut again into julienne sticks. Peel the celery and slice into julienne strips about two inches long. Slice the red onion as thin as you can. Peek the apple if you wish, core it, and slice into equal size sticks.

9. Toss all the vegetables and apples in a bowl; add the cilantro and cider vinegar. Toss to incorporate.

10. Assemble the tacos. Grill or steam tortillas to warm. Place on plates, then place short rib chunks in the middle. Top with kimchi and apple slaw. Sprinkled with cilantro and a dash vinegar and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Beer: Throwback Brewery Campfire Smoked Porter (North Hampton, N.H.)
Wine: Peter Paul Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Napa Valley, California