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The earliest records of Rhubarb date back to 2700 BC in China where it was cultivated solely for medicinal purposes. In the 14th century “medicinal” rhubarb was imported along the Silk Road. At the time, because of the difficulty of transportation, it was more precious than cinnamon, opium or saffron.
The use of rhubarb as food began in 17th century England after sugar became more affordable. It traveled to America around 1800 when an anonymous Maine gardener obtained seed from Europe. Sadly, rhubarb's popularity declined after WWII when more exotic fruits became available. In her books, Laura Ingalls Wilder referred to rhubarb as, “pie plant," the common term for it at the time. Because of its close association with pies and desserts, rhubarb is commonly mistaken to be a fruit. However, rhubarb is actually a close relative of garden sorrel, therefore a member of the vegetable family…except in New York, apparently. In 1947 a New York court decided that since rhubarb was used as a fruit it should be considered a fruit for the purpose of regulations and duties. Perhaps the incentive for the botanical decision was partly related to the fact that tariffs on fruits were less than tariffs on vegetables. |
Rhubarb is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber.
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Rhubarb Punch |
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8 cups rhubarb
8 cups water 3 cups sugar |
1 (3oz) box raspberry Jello
½ cup lemon juice |
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Cook rhubarb and water; strain. Add sugar, Jello and lemon juice. Boil and cool. Freeze. Serve by
thawing slightly and adding 2 liters of ginger ale. Hint: freeze the punch in an ice cream bucket. When you are ready to serve it thaw it out a bit, chop it up and add ginger ale right in the pail. Makes 4 qts. |
Rhubarb Juice
Wash and cut any amount of rhubarb. Add water to cover. Cook until tender. Put cooked rhubarb in a
colander but do not stir, just let it drip.
For every quart of juice add ½ cup sugar and ½ cup pineapple juice. Heat thoroughly to blend flavors and
dissolve sugar. Chill and serve. This can also be mixed with red Kool-aid and ginger ale can be added for more
of a punch.
Wash and cut any amount of rhubarb. Add water to cover. Cook until tender. Put cooked rhubarb in a
colander but do not stir, just let it drip.
For every quart of juice add ½ cup sugar and ½ cup pineapple juice. Heat thoroughly to blend flavors and
dissolve sugar. Chill and serve. This can also be mixed with red Kool-aid and ginger ale can be added for more
of a punch.
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Rhubarb Muffins |
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½ - ¾ cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt 1½ cup flour Optional topping: ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup chopped nuts ½ tsp cinnamon |
½ tsp soda
½ cup bran cereal ½ cup oil 1 egg |
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla 1 cup finely chopped rhubarb |
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Combine topping and sprinkle on batter before baking, if desired. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.
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3 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs 3 tsp vinegar (add to milk) 2 tsp salt 5 cups flour 1 cup nuts |
1½ cups melted shortening
2 cups milk 2 tsp vanilla 2 tsp baking soda 3 cups rhubarb diced |
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Pour batter into three prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-75 minutes.
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Cream sugar and butter and alternately mix in the milk and dry ingredients. Spread batter over diced rhubarb
in an 8 x 12 inch pan. Topping: 1 Tbsp corn syrup ¼ tsp salt ½ cup sugar 1 cup boiling water Mix the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the batter in pan. Pour boiling water over all. Bake for one hour at 375°. |
Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler
1 can cherry pie filling 3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sugar 4 Tbsp butter
Spread cherries and rhubarb in 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter.
Crust:
½ cup shortening 1 cup sugar
1 egg 1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder ½ cup milk
Cream shortening and sugar, Add egg and beat well. Combine flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Pour over fruit. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350°. Serves 12.
1 can cherry pie filling 3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sugar 4 Tbsp butter
Spread cherries and rhubarb in 9 x 13 inch pan. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter.
Crust:
½ cup shortening 1 cup sugar
1 egg 1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder ½ cup milk
Cream shortening and sugar, Add egg and beat well. Combine flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture. Pour over fruit. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350°. Serves 12.
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Rhubarb Pie |
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4 cups chopped rhubarb
1/3 cup flour dash of salt |
1 2/3 cups sugar
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Combine filling and let stand for 15 minutes.
Line a 9 inch pie tin with pastry and fill with the rhubarb mixture and dot with 2 Tbsp butter. Adjust top crust, seal and cut slits. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes.
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1½ cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour ½ tsp nutmeg |
1 Tbsp butter
2 well-beaten eggs 3 cups diced rhubarb |
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Blend sugar, flour, nutmeg and butter. Add eggs and beat smooth. Pour over rhubarb in a 9 inch pie plate.
Cover with top crust and bake 10 minutes at 450°. Reduce heat to 350° and continue baking 30 minutes. |
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
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1½ cups sugar
¼ tsp salt |
3 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
¼ tsp nutmeg |
Combine ingredients. Chop 3 cups of chopped rhubarb and add to one cup sliced strawberries. Stir in sugar
mixture and let stand for 20 minutes. Pour filling into a 9 inch pastry shell and dot with 1 Tbsp butter. Adjust top
crust and bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes.
mixture and let stand for 20 minutes. Pour filling into a 9 inch pastry shell and dot with 1 Tbsp butter. Adjust top
crust and bake at 400° for 35-40 minutes.
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Combine ingredients in a pan and let stand for 15 minutes. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove
from heat and let cool for 45 minutes. Pour cooled fruit mixture into pastry lined pan. Weave strips for a lattice design for top crust. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Lemon Balm Custard with Rhubarb Sauce |
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Custard:
2½ cups milk ½ cup fresh lemon balm 1½ teaspoon lemon zest |
2 extra-large whole eggs
2 extra-large egg yolks ½ cup sugar Pinch salt 1 tsp vanilla |
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In heavy-bottomed, non-reactive pan, heat milk with herbs and lemon zest. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for about 30 minutes. Add sugar to milk-herb mixture and gently reheat to dissolve sugar, stirring occasionally. In small bowl, lightly beat eggs with egg yolks and pinch of salt. Pour or spoon about ½ cup of warm milk into eggs and whisk to incorporate. Then add all of milk to eggs and blend well. Add vanilla.
Pour custard mixture through a strainer to remove herbs, zest and vanilla bean, pressing them gently to remove their essence. Pour custard mix evenly into custard dishes. Carefully fill pan holding custard dishes with hot water. Place pan in oven and bake custards until they are set, about 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove custards from hot water and place on baking rack to cool. Serve warm, or cool and refrigerate. |
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Rhubarb Sauce:
4 cups finely chopped rhubarb ½ cup orange juice |
½ cup sugar
1 to 2-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise Few dashes fresh grated nutmeg |
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Combine rhubarb, orange juice, sugar, vanilla bean and nutmeg in large, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir, cover and bring to simmer, which will just take a few minutes. Remove lid, stir well and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir.
Remove vanilla bean pieces before serving with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. Serve warm or at cool room temperature. |
Rhubarb, Rhubarb! Historically British radio dramas and theaters would have groups of people repeat the word “rhubarb” to make the sound of a crowd murmuring. This inspired actor and writer Eric Sykes in 1969 to write and direct a movie entitled Rhubarb which he remade in 1980 as Rhubarb, Rhubarb. The entire dialogue for the movie is the word “rhubarb” spoken over and over with various inflections. In the film the actors play golf at the Royal Rhubarb Golf Course (of course) and the newspaper is The Daily Rhubarb with the headline “Rhubarb.” The text consists entirely of “Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb.…”
