One of the glories of spring, at least for me, is the appearance of the season's first rosy stalks of rhubarb available at the market. This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of excitedly filling my wicker basket with almost three pounds of the stuff during a jaunt to the city's most popular farmers' market. What a lucky girl I am!
I love the taste of rhubarb and have since childhood. I recall my favorite school dinners - or the midday meal we British children erroneously knew as such - coming to a delightful close whenever rhubarb crumble was served forpudding dessert. Lashings of hot custard would gleefully be poured atop the crumble making for an even more decadent treat. Today, while I still adore rhubarb crumble, puddles of cool heavy cream have taken the place of the custard.
Rhubarb with custard was such a popular childhood treat that whenever I found myself, along with my two sisters, down at the local sweet shop with five pennies worth of spending power to hand, I would always load up my white paper baggie with old-fashioned rhubarb and custard hard boiled sweets. While my sisters took their dear time in making their confectionery selections - which I'm certain must have driven the poor shopkeeper to distraction - I was always the decisive one.
Even today, whenever I travel to England, I still pack a couple of small bags of these childhood indulgences into my hand luggage for the journey back to California. Old habits truly do die hard.
For reasons I cannot fathom, rhubarb is not as popular in the United States as it is in England. Perhaps its piquant tangy flavor fails to appeal to the masses. Or, might it be the fact that the leaves of rhubarb are deleterious if consumed, scaring some away from experimenting with it in the kitchen? Rhubarb was first introduced into the United States during the late-eighteenth century by a European farmer in Maine. Over time, it became a popular pie filling, earning its nickname of "pie plant". Curiously, on the few occasions I have spotted rhubarb making an appearance in a pie recipe, or for that matter in jam form, it has always been accompanied by strawberries to sweeten the deal. I am most decidedly not a fan! In my ever-so-humble opinion, rhubarb should always remain the star of the show; a rosy leading lady deserving of her own uncrowded stage.
Although rhubarb is by definition a vegetable, it is treated as a fruit in the culinary world. Sugar is rhubarb's best friend. Believe me when I say that even though I am a fan of tart and acidic flavors, dousing rhubarb in heaps of sugar barely makes a dent to its mouth-puckering powers.
I would feel as though I have done a good deed were I to persuade you to try this spring vegetable for yourself the next time you stumble upon it at your local market. I'm certain that once you've sampled the deliciously fragrant and fleshy stalks, cooked into an easy-to-make crumble, you too will wake up to rhubarb's tarty pleasures.
If you find yourself making the rhubarb crumble recipe found here, I suggest you double the amount of sugar required for the filling as I find the extra sweetness more capably manages to balance the tartness of the rhubarb. Oh, and there is no need to seek out the super-fine sugar that is called for in the recipe. The granulated variety works just as well.
Tell me, have you had occasion to sample rhubarb and if so, how was it prepared and what did you think of it?
Photo: Chronica Domus
I love the taste of rhubarb and have since childhood. I recall my favorite school dinners - or the midday meal we British children erroneously knew as such - coming to a delightful close whenever rhubarb crumble was served for
Rhubarb with custard was such a popular childhood treat that whenever I found myself, along with my two sisters, down at the local sweet shop with five pennies worth of spending power to hand, I would always load up my white paper baggie with old-fashioned rhubarb and custard hard boiled sweets. While my sisters took their dear time in making their confectionery selections - which I'm certain must have driven the poor shopkeeper to distraction - I was always the decisive one.
"Oh, I'll take one of those and two of these please"
Even today, whenever I travel to England, I still pack a couple of small bags of these childhood indulgences into my hand luggage for the journey back to California. Old habits truly do die hard.
For reasons I cannot fathom, rhubarb is not as popular in the United States as it is in England. Perhaps its piquant tangy flavor fails to appeal to the masses. Or, might it be the fact that the leaves of rhubarb are deleterious if consumed, scaring some away from experimenting with it in the kitchen? Rhubarb was first introduced into the United States during the late-eighteenth century by a European farmer in Maine. Over time, it became a popular pie filling, earning its nickname of "pie plant". Curiously, on the few occasions I have spotted rhubarb making an appearance in a pie recipe, or for that matter in jam form, it has always been accompanied by strawberries to sweeten the deal. I am most decidedly not a fan! In my ever-so-humble opinion, rhubarb should always remain the star of the show; a rosy leading lady deserving of her own uncrowded stage.
Although rhubarb is by definition a vegetable, it is treated as a fruit in the culinary world. Sugar is rhubarb's best friend. Believe me when I say that even though I am a fan of tart and acidic flavors, dousing rhubarb in heaps of sugar barely makes a dent to its mouth-puckering powers.
I would feel as though I have done a good deed were I to persuade you to try this spring vegetable for yourself the next time you stumble upon it at your local market. I'm certain that once you've sampled the deliciously fragrant and fleshy stalks, cooked into an easy-to-make crumble, you too will wake up to rhubarb's tarty pleasures.
Chopped and in the pan, the rhubarb is ready to be enrobed in heaps of sugar and butter over the heat of a low flame
Photo: Chronica Domus
If you find yourself making the rhubarb crumble recipe found here, I suggest you double the amount of sugar required for the filling as I find the extra sweetness more capably manages to balance the tartness of the rhubarb. Oh, and there is no need to seek out the super-fine sugar that is called for in the recipe. The granulated variety works just as well.
Even a child can make this easy peasy crumble topping
Photo: Chronica Domus
A generous helping of rhubarb crumble ready to be bathed in heavy cream and washed down with a pot of French pressed coffee - what a delightful Sunday afternoon treat!
Photo: Chronica Domus
Tell me, have you had occasion to sample rhubarb and if so, how was it prepared and what did you think of it?
Well it's Rhubarb season here too! For some reason we get it in Autumn, and I love putting it in crumbles, usually mixed with apples which make a nice tangy counterpoint to the sweetness. I also love rhubarb comport added to a bowl of museli. I'm so surprised that it's not more popular in the US - I had assumed it would be due to the love of pies... perhaps it's because tastebuds have changed toward the more decidedly sweet?
ReplyDeleteHello Heidi,
DeleteI do think sweet pies are far more popular than tart ones (with the exception of lemon, of course).
So interesting to learn that rhubarb is considered an autumnal vegetable in Australia.
I understand you can cook it into a topping for ice cream. This crumble looks delightful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, slf. A topping for ice cream does sound rather appealing.
DeleteA few years ago, a colleague at work gave me a rhubarb plant from her yard. That one plant has grown substantially since then and rewards us every spring with a wonderful bounty. I love rhubarb crumble but also enjoy it with strawberries in a pie. Rhubarb goes surprisingly well with fresh ginger and I occasionally cook it with sugar and grated ginger to make a rhubarb compote. You may want to plant some rhubarb yourself. It is surprisingly low maintenance; needing just sunshine, water and a little fertilizer.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I loved your gosling photos. When we lived in CA, baby ducklings called our backyard and pool home three years in a row. "Mrs. Duck" seemed to prefer our yard to a nearby park. My husband fashioned a raft so the ducklings could climb out of the pool because they were too small to jump out once they were in the water.
Best, KL Gaylin
Hello KL Gaylin,
DeleteI've considered growing rhubarb, but after writing this post, and your comment, I think my mind is made up. I shall seek out a plant or two and try my luck with it.
Serendipity shone down on your Mother Duck to have found her way to your pool. She was, indeed, a lucky ducky!
Oh, you are making me hungry. I adore rhubarb!
ReplyDeletePleased to read that you too are a fan of the rosy stalks.
DeleteRhubarb is very popular in the eastern U.S., especially the Northeastern part. We do a great rhubarb sauce that really good on ice cream.
ReplyDeleteHello Megs,
DeleteHeartened to read that rhubarb is looked upon favorably on the east coast.
What do you add to your rhubarb sauce, or is the leading lady the rhubarb itself?
My grandmother is Scottish and one of the 'family recipes' we have is stewed rhubarb; not as a dessert but as a side vegetable with dinner. Growing up I always loved it but my mom hasn't made it in quite awhile. It was the one vegetable my grandparents grew in their garden!
ReplyDeleteHello AD,
DeleteHow intriguing to learn of your Scottish family recipe for stewed rhubarb, treated like a vegetable and not a fruit too. Do please share what seasonings are added to the rhubarb, or what dinner foods accompanied it?
We often had it as a side with pork chops. Chopped up into chunks and cooked with a finely chopped onion and a splash of orange juice. Salt and peppered to taste. Not sure if the liquid was just water or chicken broth. Given the very PLAIN scottish cooking I assume it would be a small amount of water. It cooks down into a rather gooey mess.
ReplyDeleteThank you AD, for clearing up that little mystery for me.
DeleteFunny but in England, pork is often accompanied by tartly flavored apple sauce so it would absolutely make sense to stew rhubarb, without heaps of sugar, as an accompaniment to pork.
Thank you again for enlightening me about the uses of rhubarb and about the glories of Scottish cooking.
Hardly would call it glories!! So glad when my mom stopped making it years ago after it wasn't available in a small town we moved to in the midwest. I haven't had it in 20 years but could gladly go another 20 till imbibing again.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sorry to hear that because rhubarb is truly glorious when in season. Now, I say this as a fan of the sweetened version (as in the crumble I made for this posting). I think even I would have a difficult time of digesting a sour version of itself.
DeleteYes I love rhubarb desserts ; crumble or pie or even ice cream.
ReplyDeletePhew, glad to hear it! Never had rhubarb ice cream but you've given me something to seek out the next time I visit an ice cream parlor.
DeleteHello CD, I am also a fan of rhubarb. Both of my grandmothers made stewed rhubarb, one with strawberries and one plain. I always preferred the plain version--why would you want to cover the rhubarb flavor with another fruit? I just got home for a vacation, and one of the treats my mother had waiting for me was homemade rhubarb.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree with you when you state "why cover the rhubarb flavor with another fruit" - why indeed?
And, how lovely that your mother prepared rhubarb for you during your visit. I'm sure it is next to impossible to find in your end of the world.
I love rhubarb but I don't see it at my local farmers markets. Maybe it does not grow well in the deep south. it's Blueberry season here now so I'm making blueberry crumble.
ReplyDeleteHello andrew1860,
DeletePerhaps the very fact that rhubarb seems to be hard to come by in some places in the United States is what led me to believe it is not a popular choice. It seems that among my commenters, it is a smash hit.
We trail you in the blueberry season here in California. Ours come to market in August.
ok...i like the pretty pink juices when the rhubarb is stewed and the syrup comes out of the crumble. I like the crumble with lots of cream.
ReplyDeleteHowever, i will admit that one of my faebook statuses was - i can't quote exactly - something like i would not care if rhubarb went extinct!
am i banned now? ;p
but just to clarify - i don't hate it but it wouldn't change my life it disappeared is all i am saying.
Extinct you say? Shudder at the thought! And, no, of course you are not banned. It would be a dull party without you.
DeleteHere's what I like: A rhubarb-strawberry preserve. Stewed rhubarb mixed in with Greek yoghurt. Waitrose makes an exceptional one. Rhubarb crisp. Stewed rhubarb with sliced bananas over some crunched up meringues.
ReplyDeleteHello Meg,
DeleteNow there's a yogurt I'd dearly enjoy trying. Trust Waitrose to have come up with that particular flavor. Can you imagine it being sold here? No, me neither.
I typically bake the stalks with a little water and a sprinkling of sugar (and perhaps a cinnamon quill or two) and serve over hot porridge. Leftovers are a treat over vanilla icecream or yoghurt, with or without other toppings such as granola. Yum!
ReplyDeleteWe're very lucky to enjoy home-grown rhubarb (thanks to my husband). Once established the plants continue to yield for many years. I urge you to give a go. We freeze excess to enjoy throughout the winter.
Spud.
Hello Spud,
DeleteNow, there's an idea, porridge and rhubarb. White delicious I am sure on a cold spring morning.
I'm seriously puzzled as to why I've not tried growing rhubarb yet. Stay tuned, perhaps I'll do a blog post on that one of these days.
I remember eating a rhubarb tart, decades ago, and liking it more than I thought I would. But as you say, the US isn't as thrilled with rhubarb as is the UK, and I don't bake, so I haven't tried it since.
ReplyDeleteGolly, we'll have to break your decades old record and make sure you sample rhubarb soon.
DeleteMy mother grew rhubarb (Ontario Canada) and when I was a child, I loved eating it raw; dipping it in a cup of sugar. My favourite pie is strawberry- rhubarb.
ReplyDeleteI also can't live without sherbet candies.
Hello Hermesmerized™ the duchessofH, and welcome.
DeleteI think you take the prize for Bravest Rhubarb Easter. Even I wouldn't attempt to eat raw rhubarb.
I too love sherbet candies but I don't seem to find them around these parts.
CD I stayed away from rhubarb until I made a strawberry rhubarb pie a couple of years ago. What was I thinking! I can't believe how our taste changes over time...I have saved this recipe and will definitely try soon. I so envy you your farmer's market!!
ReplyDeleteHello lindaraxa,
DeleteYes, what were you thinking? Rhubarb is a gift from the gods and we Brits are initiated into its puckery goodness at an early age. Please do try the crumble. It is supremely tasty and so simple to make, and quick too.
If you ever find your way west, I'd be delighted to take you on a tour of the farmers' market. We'd have such fun discussing the merits of this vegetable or that fruit, to say nothing of all the sampling that goes on. You could easily skip breakfast and leave with a full belly once you've made the rounds.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteReady for a shocker: I've never tasted rhubarb. Ever. It's not on offer at farmers' markets or grocery stores in my part of Virginia. I don't think I've ever seen it in a store/market or on a menu in the South.
I checked the Virginia agriculture dept.'s website and found rhubarb doesn't grow well here but can be cultivated, with a bit of extra work, in some parts of Virginia. That probably explains why I've never had it. The site also said it's part of the buckwheat family (but it looks like rogue celery) and originated in Siberia.
If any rhubarb pops up on a shelf or menu near me, I will give it go.
Hello Janet,
DeleteNot a shocker at all actually. Even in our foodie-oriented town, rhubarb is not on offer for sale at many grocery stores, which is why I get so excited in the spring when it appears at the farmers' market and in a few of the better grocery stores.
I'm surprised rhubarb does not grow well in Virginia as it does rather well in colder climates (as in many parts of England), but perhaps not so much in deep snow (as in Virginia).
I've just endured rather a shock. A rudimentary web search for frozen rhubarb returned results for a two pound bag of the stuff for $35. Wow, I had no idea rhubarb was such a rarity in the United States.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I do hope you return again, and often, to this blog.
Well, rhubarb. Of which David Hicks declared that he preferred to see it grown in a garden for its decorative appeal than on one's plate at Sunday lunch.
ReplyDeleteAs for it not growing in southern climes, I should like then to know what accounts for the lyrics of a lovely tune composed by Hoagy Carmichael entitled Memphis In June, where there is reference to "cousin Amanda baking' a rhubarb pie." Could it have been nothing more valid than a convenient rhyme to "Sunday blue sky.."??
Dearest Toby,
DeleteObviously, Mr. Hicks did not have the pleasure of tasting my rhubarb crumble because if he had, he would have put Oliver Twist to shame ("Please sir may I have some more"). In all seriousness, I am going to track down a few rhubarb plants for my garden as I can only imagine how tasty the home-grown stuff will be.
You now have me on a mad quest (on YouTube) to hear "Memphis In June", a song I am not familiar with. Surely, this cannot be an American song for the mention of rhubarb pie makes no mention of strawberries?