Rhubarb Season!

I lived in Germany from 1955-1958. I was a kid, brother was a baby, and Mom had a number of health issues, so we always had live out help that came in most days.

One of our help used to make stewed rhubarb, just slightly sweetened. I loved that stuff. The way she would get me to do things like tidy my room was to tell me I would get rhubarb and potato pancakes for breakfast the next day. Yum!

Great stuff.

If your pie crust skills turn out to be lacking, Pillsbury crusts in the box are quite acceptable. My Mom was a great pie baker, and made fab scratch crust. But once the doughboy started doing the refrigerated ones in the box, she was a convert. And no one ever knew the difference except me, because I was in the kitchen with her.

MM

Love, LOVE stewed rhubarb. Cakes, pies, are okay, but I like my rhubarb all by itself.

Rhubarb gets a crumble topping here
We've got two good established crowns and a new one getting started. I've even managed to persuade picky picky hubby to try rhubarb and... he likes it!
While making crumble last week I had a sudden flash back of "stealing" a stem of rhubarb off the garden and sneaking it into the kitchen so I could dip it in the sugar bowl -- yum yum.

JustKia said:

"stealing" a stem of rhubarb off the garden and sneaking it into the kitchen so I could dip it in the sugar bowl -- yum yum.

Click to expand...

I have the same memory!

I have harvested my rhubarb twice thus far, but I have given it away both times! Several of my co-workers were craving rhubarb and no store around here sells it, so I brought some in to feed the hungry troops. I still have about 30 or more petioles that are developing so I will harvest more as they get thicker. Last year I made a rhubarb/strawberry/blueberry crumb. It may not sound very appealing but there was something about the combination of those tastes together that was down right amazing.

I can't hear the word rhubarb without thinking of Garrison Keillor.

I have never tried rhubarb that I can recall. Not since learning it was poisonous.

Only the leaves are poisonous. The stalk is yummy (with enough sugar).

I like mine stewed with strawberries. It's peak strawberry season here - better make a batch quick!

Every spring I make a rhubarb kuchen to bring to my workmates - and they never let me forget.

Basically it's a biscuit type cake dough patted in a pan, then topped with an even layer of chopped rhubarb and then sprinkled with a crumble topping (I like lots). My mom makes it with more cake to fruit topping, I make it in a larger pan so that there is less cake. Either way - mmmmm!

It is best the same day it's baked but that's no problem at all.

Maryn -- I'd send some but it would have to be shrink wrapped and probably wouldn't be as fresh as it could be by the time it got to you... Then again it'd probably be lucky to get through customs -- ah well, it's the thought that counts right?

I remember seeing "Giant Rhubarb" in a local park last year.
We were parked up and could see across this park and I said to hubby "I don't know what that is -- it looks like rhubarb, but it would have to be pretty big to be seen from here."
We walked across said park and this rhubarb was 6+ft tall with a leaf span even bigger and the stalks were spiky. Never seen it before but it was pretty impressive.
One stalk would have made many crumbles, pies and kuchens if only it wasn't poisonous

I don't know about the dump cake, but rhubarb on its own freezes fine. Cut it into chunks & freeze it on a baking sheet, then store in a bag the freezer till you're ready to use it.

Somewhere... around here

in a huge, thick, 1937 cookbook I bought at a yard sale...
is a recipe for rhubarb marmalade. When I find it, I'll post it.
Darn stuff is soo good that I don't dare get any out except for special occasions or it disappears..

=)

*sorry Maryn - no help - 'barb freezes well tho*

rhubarb marmalade:
(ala 1948)

You'll need: 4 pounds of rhubarb, 5 pounds of sugar, 1 pound of seeded raisins, the rind of 1 lemon (cut in shreds), juice of 2 oranges, a half teaspoon of cloves, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Wash and cut the rhubarb into one inch pieces. Cover with sugar and let stand overnight. Add remaining ingredients, heat to the boiling point, reduce heat, and let simmer -stirring frequently or it will burn to bottom of pot!- simmer approximately forty minutes - or until thick. Pour into sterilized jars, seal and cool*.

*I usually start washing ten jelly jar sized 'canning jars' through the dishwasher as I make the Marmalade. When it's ready, I'll pour the hot marmalade into the warm jars, clean off the lip, add a new lid, screw on and tighten the ring, then set the filled jars upside down for a half an hour before turning them upright. (You may wish to hot bath them, or paraffin wax seal, or whatever you might do with a jelly-like product =)

Trust me.
It's extraordinary.

My favorite way to serve this is as dollops
on lightly buttered, hot dinner rolls.
(biscuits, warm fresh bread of any sort.)

I keep seeing this thread title and immediately thinking, "Wabbit season!"

I had rhubarb for the first time Wednesday night, in rhubarb mojitos. Not bad.

Strawberry and rhubarb pie and strawberry and rhubarb compote are really good as well.

The compote you can freeze and it's fast to make. You can make it in a microwave. It's good on icecream, and if you wish you can put it into pies. The best time to make it is when strawberries are in their height, usually around June-July-August. That's when they are at their sweetest. The firmer and sweeter strawberries tend to do better, though.

Just a mild warning: If you are making anything rhubarb don't put in the leaves. They have a mild poison. Isn't very inspired...

Martha Stewart has a fab recipe for rhubarb raspberry crisp, the addition of orange rind is inspired. If you are looking for a great dessert that feeds a crowd, this is it.
http://www.marthastewart.com/316493/rhubarb-raspberry-crisp