A Passion for Rhubarb
By Marcia Passos Duffy
Not everyone is enamored by the sweet/sour taste of rhubarb in recipes (that
requires a lot of sugar to counterbalance the tart rhubarb taste). But I love it.
But before we moved to our New Hampshire home over a decade ago I
barely knew what rhubarb looked like, never mind pick it and use it in a
recipe.
The former owner of our home (and, by the way, the only owner of the house
built in 1932) must have had a remarkable passion for rhubarb because it was
placed in conspicuous locations throughout the yard, like prized ornamental
flowers.
One avid gardening friend, seeing the position of the rhubarb in my yard,
gasped and said with desperation, “Transplant them, as soon as you can!
They’ll take over!” I did remove the very large plant that was smack dab in
the middle of the yard (or rather, I removed some of it and we mowed over
the rest), but we still grow enough rhubarb in various corners of our 1/3 of an
acre to satisfy my rhubarb cravings. And she was right: It does take over.
My use of our yard’s bountiful rhubarb in recipes started when I handed a
neighbor a bundle of rhubarb to get rid of it, and she later handed me a recipe
for Rhubarb Coffeecake. “I just love those tart pieces of rhubarb surrounded
by the sweet cake,” she confided. And, when I made the recipe, I did too.
Rhubarb is thought of (and used in recipes) as a fruit, but it’s actually a
vegetable and is related to the sorrel family. It’s an old plant, and has been
cultivated for over 5000 years ago in China and used for medicinal purposes.
Googling the history of rhubarb on the Web I found that rhubarb made its
way West through Turkey and Russia and was first planted in England in
1777. In the U.S. it made its debut in Maine by an unnamed gardener who got
seed or root stock from Europe sometime between 1790-1800. It was then
introduced to growers in Massachusetts where its popularity spread and by
1822 it was sold in produce markets; its super-tart taste made it popular in
jams, jellies and sauces, as well as a popular recipe called Rhubarb Crumble.
The rhubarb stalk can be cooked, or eaten raw with some people dipping raw
stalks in sugar to remove some of the tartness. Only the stalks can be eaten
because the leaves are poisonous (they contain potassium oxalate, which can
be fatal to people who are sensitive to oxalic acids). But if you’re into using
natural dyes, don’t throw those poisonous leaves into the compost pile, since
they can be boiled and used to turn fiber a lovely sage green.
Click below for recipes for:
My Neighbor’s Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe
Traditional Rhubarb Crumble
Rhubarb Strawberry Coffee Cake
Rhubarb Clafouti
Cold Rhubarb Tea
About the author:
Marcia Passos Duffy is a freelance writer and publisher of The Heart of New
England online magazine. Get your free subscription today!
By Marcia Passos Duffy
Not everyone is enamored by the sweet/sour taste of rhubarb in recipes (that
requires a lot of sugar to counterbalance the tart rhubarb taste). But I love it.
But before we moved to our New Hampshire home over a decade ago I
barely knew what rhubarb looked like, never mind pick it and use it in a
recipe.
The former owner of our home (and, by the way, the only owner of the house
built in 1932) must have had a remarkable passion for rhubarb because it was
placed in conspicuous locations throughout the yard, like prized ornamental
flowers.
One avid gardening friend, seeing the position of the rhubarb in my yard,
gasped and said with desperation, “Transplant them, as soon as you can!
They’ll take over!” I did remove the very large plant that was smack dab in
the middle of the yard (or rather, I removed some of it and we mowed over
the rest), but we still grow enough rhubarb in various corners of our 1/3 of an
acre to satisfy my rhubarb cravings. And she was right: It does take over.
My use of our yard’s bountiful rhubarb in recipes started when I handed a
neighbor a bundle of rhubarb to get rid of it, and she later handed me a recipe
for Rhubarb Coffeecake. “I just love those tart pieces of rhubarb surrounded
by the sweet cake,” she confided. And, when I made the recipe, I did too.
Rhubarb is thought of (and used in recipes) as a fruit, but it’s actually a
vegetable and is related to the sorrel family. It’s an old plant, and has been
cultivated for over 5000 years ago in China and used for medicinal purposes.
Googling the history of rhubarb on the Web I found that rhubarb made its
way West through Turkey and Russia and was first planted in England in
1777. In the U.S. it made its debut in Maine by an unnamed gardener who got
seed or root stock from Europe sometime between 1790-1800. It was then
introduced to growers in Massachusetts where its popularity spread and by
1822 it was sold in produce markets; its super-tart taste made it popular in
jams, jellies and sauces, as well as a popular recipe called Rhubarb Crumble.
The rhubarb stalk can be cooked, or eaten raw with some people dipping raw
stalks in sugar to remove some of the tartness. Only the stalks can be eaten
because the leaves are poisonous (they contain potassium oxalate, which can
be fatal to people who are sensitive to oxalic acids). But if you’re into using
natural dyes, don’t throw those poisonous leaves into the compost pile, since
they can be boiled and used to turn fiber a lovely sage green.
Click below for recipes for:
My Neighbor’s Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe
Traditional Rhubarb Crumble
Rhubarb Strawberry Coffee Cake
Rhubarb Clafouti
Cold Rhubarb Tea
About the author:
Marcia Passos Duffy is a freelance writer and publisher of The Heart of New
England online magazine. Get your free subscription today!
| A Passion for Rhubarb Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe Click here for your FREE weekly newsletter! Bring the heart of New England into your home with affordable, high-quality New England prints. Visit our Art Gallery today! Click here for More Recipes! |
| ©The Heart of New England online magazine ...celebrating the unique character of Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont Contact | The Heart of New England HOME | Search |
| The Heart of New England Celebrating the unique character & culture of Maine ~ New Hampshire ~ Vermont |
| Home ~ Life in New England ~ Recipes ~ Garden ~ Travel ~ B&B/Inns ~ Made in New England ~ Events ~ Art/Prints ~ Archives ~ About Us |
| Home ~ Life in New England ~ Recipes ~ Garden ~ Travel ~ B&B/Inns ~ Made in New England ~ Events ~ Art/Prints ~ Archives ~ About Us |
