Rhubarb 101

        I baked a delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Pie for a friend's birthday that's today (crazy kid doesn't like birthday cake!), and I couldn't share the recipe until everyone was on the same page about rhubarb!  (A confessed that she doesn't think she's ever held raw rhubarb, only eaten it in pies and such!)  The recipe, along with photos of my adventure in the kitchen and the mess that resulted, will be shared later today.  Rhubarb is a mysterious plant to many people, but I was first introduced to it when I found out about pregnancy cravings.  No, not from personal experience, but when I was little I remember my mom telling me that when you're pregnant, you crave strange foods.  So naturally, I asked her what bizarre foods she craved when she was pregnant with me, and then my brother.  I don't remember what her response was for me (I guess it was boring), but for Mac she had a crazy craving for strawberry rhubarb pie!  What you don't know is that Mac was born in July and fresh rhubarb, let alone strawberry rhubarb pie, is really only in season from about late May to early September.  With a summer baby, she was craving pies long before May rolled around.  Needless to say, my dad went on a few crazy expeditions in search of strawberry rhubarb pie in the off season!

Fresh Rhubarb Stalks

        Rhubarb is sometimes known as the "pie plant" as it is prized for use in pies, tarts, and sauces.  Rhubarb looks like a pink version of celery and it is made up of 95% water like celery.  Unlike celery, it has an extremely tart taste and usually requires sweetening for most cooking uses.  Nutritionally, rhubarb provides a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and calcium and only has about 26 calories in 1 cup of diced rhubarb.    

        When buying rhubarb, you want to look for fresh, crisp stalks and make sure to peel off any stringy covering before use.  Stalks that are bright pink, crisp and free of insect damage are ideal.  The dark pink, smaller diameter stalks are younger and typically both sweeter and more tender than the thick, long green stalks.

Cleaned & chopped rhubarb

        If you don't use all of your rhubarb that you bought, luckily it can be stored by refrigeration, caning, freezing or drying.  I have certainly not opted fro the caning or drying route, but stick to the less complicated fridge and freezer concepts.  The stalks can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks when stored in sealed plastic bags.  When freezing extra rhubarb, you want to pick the best stalks you can - the firm, tender, well-colored stalks with good flavor and very few of the fiber casings.  It's best to wash and trim the rhubarb before freezing, then put in a plastic container (leave room at the top; don't pack it too tightly), seal, and freeze.  If you want to freeze it, but keep the beautiful color and retain the flavor of fresh rhubarb, you can heat the stalks in boiling water for approximately 1 minute, remove, and cool promptly in cold water.

        Rhubarb is one of those "tweeners" -- you don't know whether it's a fruit or vegetable.  The general rule of thumb is that fruits have seeds, vegetables don't.  Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, and a yummy one at that!  I get excited about rhubarb season every year, but don't know what to do with it besides make a strawberry rhubarb pie.  It turns out you can make almost anything rhubarb: breads, rhubarb squares, rhubarb cobblers/crisps, rhubarb drinks (yum!), entrées like fish and chicken with rhubarb, rhubarb sauces, soup, and even rhubarb salad dressings!  Just cooking rhubarb recipes could keep you quite busy in the kitchen!  Check out some of the recipes linked below the delicious-looking photos!

Warm Rhubarb Compote with 
Walnut-Coconut Crunch @ Epicurious.com

Chocolate Chip & Rhubarb Bread @ Method

Salad w/ Asparagus & Rhubarb Dressing 
@ Goddess of Cake

Strawberry Rhubarb Soup @ 
Taste Food

Rhubarb Crisp @ 
The New York Times Website 

I'm going to attempt to stop salivating at the computer screen, and it's time for you to get into the kitchen and try some of these delicious recipes!!  I'm going to go eat some Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!