BS: rhubarb

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: MMario
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 01:50 PM

very roughly - make a basic vanilla ice cream - add one cup of rhubarb puree right at the end of the "crank" stage; just before you pack it (if following instructions) or eat it (if you are like most people)

To Make the rhubarb puree - chop rhubarb stems in rough pieces, add about 1/2 cup Orange juice for every two cups of rhubarb.(that would be a quarter pint of OJ per pint of rhubarb pieces) - simmer the rhubarb covered until very tender. Then puree. I use a foley food mill - but a friend uses a potato ricer ; another uses a cuisinart.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Cluin
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 01:45 PM

Ha ha ha! Cultivation tips for rhubarb? You're kidding, right?...

Horsepoop definitely helps it out, but as soon as the snow is off the ground the stuff is bursting out anyway. You have to dig 3 feet down to the root, cut it out, put a stake through its heart, mutter an ancient incantation in Druidic and burn it with a holy blowtorch to kill it. It grows like a weed. We were harvesting the stuff on an old abandoned family farm that nobody lived on for 35 years and even gone wild, the stuff was sweet as the product of our own backyard garden.

Just let it go and pull it out when it's thick and red before it goes to seed, snick off the top and base and do whatever you do with it. I'd have a good laugh watching anybody out there thinning it or dressing it up in little skirts and collars. What, do you comb your chives too?

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 01:27 PM

You can't stop at that MMario, method please!

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: MMario
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 01:01 PM

I used to make a rhubarb ice cream...delicious!

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: John J
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 12:53 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: mouldy
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 02:22 AM

When I was a kid my dad grew wonderful rhubarb. When his neighbour asked what his secret was, he replied, "Oh the dog goes there!" The neighbour never accepted any more rhubarb after that.

I made a crumble yesterday and I added a couple or three eating apples that weren't as crisp as they should have been, the juice of an orange, demerara sugar, and a slug of an extremely powerful non-alcoholic ginger cordial. I topped the crumble with a demerara sugar/cinnamon mixture. I think if I was making a pie that wouldn't be so able to absorb the liquid, I'd use orange zest instead of the juice. T'would give a more powerful flavour, anyway.

I've got 3 varieties in my little garden, but the Timperley Early, which is really a forcing variety, needs slinging. (The fact that it's in an old dustbin tucked away from the sun for part of the day ain't helping, but it was never up to much anyway, and it kept getting some sort of goop on the stems, accompanied by internal blemishes and woody bits. I blame snails). The main one is "Victoria" a common variety, and quite productive, and the other is just coming through now. It's a short-stemmed and red-fleshed variety called "Cawood Delight". Cawood is a village about 12 miles north of me, just the other side of Selby. About 20 miles east of me is the "Wakefield Triangle" - They do things there by candlelight in darkened sheds, which result in long, tender pink-skinned rhubarb appearing on the shop shelves! You can see some of the fields from the M62 and M1 around the interchange area. It looks quite striking when you see a whole field in flower!

They used to say you had to cut the flowers off to keep it producing, but I read somewhere that this isn't true. Mine hasn't ever flowered anyway.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:58 PM

To increase yield, put dark plastic cylinders around the young rhubarb, like you would asparagus... makes the leaves grow taller trying to reach the light, so the stalks are longer and slimmer, thus making sure they are not thick and tough. They will be paler, white and red, rather than pink and green, and you should indeed pull rhubarb, taking the outer leaves first as the older and more likely to be ripe.

That's what my dad always did anyway, don't know if it worked, I hate rhubarb.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:49 PM

Is it called French Rhubarb because it tends to fall in your lap and sometimes leaves a sticky residue on your pants? Or does it just "go down" good? And in these ridiculous times shouldn't we call it Freedom Rhubarb?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Rapaire
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 08:32 PM

Back in the distant past, we used a dilute solution of oxalic acid to clean marble gravestones. Wear rubber, or better yet, chemical resistant, gloves and be certain to thoroughly rinse the stone with clean water.

I have a terrific recipe for french rhubarb pie at home. I'll try to post it tomorrow evening.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 07:50 PM

I posted a useless fact, but it doesn't seem to have got there. It was about (and appears to disappeared into) the Morley Triangle.
Apparently about 90% of the Worlds's commercially produced Rhubarb is grown in an area to the Southern side of Leeds, between there and Wakefield (West Riding of Yorkshire).
The group Cockersdale, formed by the late Keith Marsden (Bring us a Barrel) took their name from a valley at the western end of this area. I have walked on footpaths through farm fields of Rhubarb in Cockersdale.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:56 PM

What I actually meant to post was
"Nana always made rhubarb pie with strawberries" - sounds nicer than Rhubarb pie made with Rhubarb!

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:55 PM

"an interesting childhood" 'Spaw......
Have you told your Analyst?????
It could explain a lot of Mudcat!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 05:44 PM

Hmmm. I think the reason "why" might have something to do with getting slapped around the head. I d'unno know? (just kidding, of course) Bob

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 05:35 PM

Everyone knows you "pull" rhubarb Bob. No one knows why. I think though it's because if it doesn't pull easily, it's not ready to harvest....or so I was once told.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Deckman
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 05:30 PM

Hi Sinsull .. My bride Judy makes a killer rhubarb crisp. Later today, I'll show her this thread. If her recipe has not already been posted, I'll post it. By the way, I have been told, NO make that ordered, to NEVER cut the rhubard stalks! I MUST pull them off at ground level. I've never understood the reason, but I always pull them off at ground level. I mean, really, one must never fool with Mother Nature ... eh? CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 04:09 PM

And of course this thread would not be complete without input from Groucho (which I've used before here)......."If you take cranberries and stew them like prunes, they taste much more like apples than rhubarb does."

And then I have to add one of my Old Man's favorite expressions which he said every time it rained that I can remember!!!! "Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?" To which you had to respond, "Not if it's in cans." It was an interesting childhood.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Penny S.
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 03:58 PM

Rhubarb fool - a mixture of cooked rhubarb, sugar and cream (and orange zest) - anyone know the quantities?

And if baking soda biscuits are what I think they are (Scones?) you can make rhubarb cobbler, by putting them on top before cooking them, and then cooking the whole thing.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: KateG
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 03:16 PM

RealRhubarb Pie

about 1 lb diced rhubarb stems
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Grated rind of an orange (the secret ingredient)

Put in a two-crust pie shell. Bake 10 min at 400 degrees Farenheit,then lower oven to about 350 and bake for 45-50 minutes till it begins to boil over.

Devour.

The same mix of rhubarb,sugar and orange peel ...sans flour...is lovely stewed and served over fresh, hot baking powder biscuits. Unfortunatly, I'm going to have to wait a while to make it since my rhubarb is just beginning to sprout.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: open mike
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 02:49 PM

I will post a recipe for a fluffy, graham cracker crust pie
with strawberries and rhubarb in the filling. Do not have time
right now, but it has jello (or a kosher, non-horsey-hoof substitute)
and frozen, whipped evaporated milk in it...
it makes a cream pie that can be chilled, and
is very yum! got me drooling for a bite of it!

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: bassen
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 02:27 PM

In Norway the traditional summer dish on the south coast is fried mackerel --- with rhubarb soup on the side! Sounds like a weird combination maybe, but it's really good.

Rhubarb soup

1/2 kg. rhubarb, diced
1 liter water
2 - 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons potato starch (the most common thickener in Norway, use Maizena or some such)

Boil the water, add the rhubarb and sugar. Simmer until the rhubarb is tender. Dissolve the thickener in a little cold water, add slowly to the soup while stirring. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. THE SOUP IS SERVED LUKEWARM OR COLD as an accompaniment to fried mackerel and maybe potatoes but no other veg.

But our killer rhubarb recipe is a cake or crumble, served hot from the baking dish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. On the rare occasions there is any left over, it never lasts more than 24 hours in the fridge.

bassen

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 01:52 PM

spaw is probably right that a thread on disasters could be good but in the meanwhile, thinking of things like "don't lick your fingers"... one bit of advice from me: take care when chopping chilies and ensure you wash your hands. I went to the toilet before washing my hands and the experience was not at all pleasant - sensitive parts of my anatomy were on fire. Mark, a visitng brother reports what IMO is a lesser experience - he rubbed his eyes.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 01:40 PM

But don't lick your fingers!

And today I discovered a patch of strawberries. Life will be very good very soon.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Micca
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 01:22 PM

The other use for rhubarb leaves( or dilute Oxalic Acid) is...Ta da..the Musical link!!!
If you have a piece of wood with a fairly indifferent grain, or a not very visible grain pattern rub it with crushed fresh rhubarb leaves( or oxalic Acid solution about 2%) and it will enhanced the figuring!!!! the effect is very long lasting as the Oxalic reacts with some of the Tannins in the wood.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Metchosin
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 01:07 PM

Which reminds me of the old story of the village idiot sitting on the wall of the local asylum watching a man picking up horse manure from the street and putting it in a cart.

"Why are you doing that?" he enquired of the man pushing the cart.

"I take it home to put on my rhubarb," came the reply.

"Eeh, you're more a daft bugger than I am, we have cream on ours", he commented shaking his head.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: gnu
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 11:47 AM

How do you thin your patch for maximum yield ? spacing ? Ever use rows ? When do you pick ? size ? ripeness ? Last year, I really screwed up so I want to make sure it goes well right from the start. Thanks in advance for all your help and tips.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 11:35 AM

Some people mistakenly refer to rhubarb as fruit, because, with the addition of sugar, we get a somewhat sweet (sweet/sour) sauce, pie, or whatever. It's not a fruit, because it has nothing to do with seeding.

So it's a vegetable? you say. No, not a vegetable either.

It's a leaf petiole.

Stick with me, kid; you'll learn all sorts of things you never wanted to know.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: gnu
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 11:09 AM

When I was about twelve, Mum went back to work and I was tasked with having supper ready when my parents got home. Mostly, I just got the veggies ready and warmed leftover meat. One day, I made a Johnny Cake (corn cake) and thought my old man would be proud. It looked great and smelled better. I eagerly awaited his pronouncement but was shocked when he spat out the first mouthful, looked me straight in the eye and asked, "What in hell did you put in this ?" My knowledge of the difference between baking powder and baking soda was lacking. The next one was perfect.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:43 AM

Ya' know, we need a thread on eating disasters/mistakes......Connie once mistook a c after garlic for cup instead of clove. She claims to this day that she must have been suffering from temporary insanity because she knew better, but since she uses bottled pre-minced garlic, she had it on hand and.........Truth...to this day, one of her boys will barely touch anything that has a more than slight garlic flavor. I made langostinos at New Years and much as this kid LOVES shrimp, he just couldn't eat them.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 10:00 AM

Sorry about all this drift but thinking of cullinary horrors, here is a little one from me that I loved.

Someone who worked with Pip wasn't too good at cooking but decided to give someone (I think her parents) a treat. She found what looked to be a great recipe, followed it and proudly presented the people with the meal.

The people took a mouthful and were quite horrified. The problem turned out to be that the recipe called for maybe 3 cloves of garlic but this poor girl knowing no better thought that a bulb of garlic was a clove!

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:56 AM

I don't make rhubarb pies... I can't find a 2ft X 3in baking dish.

My granny made rhubarb wine once..... even 8 yrs after she died, it was still sharp enough to cut itself out the bottles...... apparently it was still wartime rationing (circa 1950) and she couldn't get the raisins so left them out...... along with half the sugar!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:46 AM

I don't often make the ROTFLMAO type posts but spaw, that little tale has had both Pip and I in stitches.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:23 AM

There just ain't nothin' like really fresh sweet corn Jon......Reminds me of a story though.

I knew this guy who moved here from New Jersey and had never been around a farm much, pretty much a city guy. Columbus is completely srrounded by farmland and we get some really great corn from the guys who pick it and sell it on the corners.....maybe as fresh as you get without growing your own. Ron just loved it and I told him that if he could pick some and eat it right away, he'd like it even more.

So Ron's driving down a back road one evening and noticing the corn in this one field. It looked ready to pick to him and had really large ears. He was on a back road so seeing no traffic and no one around, he quickly parked and stole a few ears. He went straight home and boiled them up and...........the next day he said, "Pat, that was the worst corn you could ever imagine. It was tough and I could barely eat it!" After making a few jokes about ill-gotten gains, I explained the difference between Field/Feed corn and sweet corn and how to tell the difference.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 09:08 AM

Ah horseshit! Off topic but Pip, our resident gardener, gets a few sacks of horse manure evrey year and digs it in all the veg garden. It seems to pay off and we had excellent crops last year. Hope things go as well this year. Last year we had onions, shallots, runner beans, peas, acorn squash, sweet corn, potatoes, sweeds, turnips, broccoli, garlic, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, leeks, rhubarb, black currants, at least one meal of asparagus and probably a few other things from that patch.

Probably my favourite was the sweet corn. It was only 2 years ago that I first got to eat it about 15 minutes after picking and am still amazed at the difference in taste when compared to shop bought stuff that's probably sat around for a couple of days.

A big hope for me this year is that the apricot tree round the front of the house yeilds something. The last 2 years, strong winds blew all the blossom off but this year, things are looking better. I've never just picked and eaten an apricot and am looking forward to the chance.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: gnu
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 08:51 AM

That reminds me of the fact that my old man always offered my services to our neighbour for the annual spreading and mixing of horseshit in his garden and our small tomato patch. I'll never forget the big green flies that would buzz out of the fresh stuff. Of course, our neighbour was always giving Dad veggies from the garden. I wish I had taken more of an interest and learned from him how to grow those veggies because two years ago I bought the property and moved in. It's lawn now, except for the rhubarb patch.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 08:33 AM

I've always liked just plain stewed rhubarb with limited sugar. Add a bit of gelatin if you like.......Good stuff!!!

There was this old guy back home who grew the best damn rhubarb anyone ever tasted. Every fall he covered his plants/patch in a deep layer of horseshit. Everyone referred to it as Ross' Horseshit Rhubarb.......but damn if it wasn't superb!!!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Allan C.
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 08:18 AM

In answer to the question of the toxic qualities of rhubarb, please look here.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Hrothgar
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 07:21 AM

I'm surprised that Spaw missed an opportunity to digress on the alleged aphrodisiac qualities of rhubarb.

As in:

"... Oyster pie and rhubarb, too,
But still he's got no courage in him."

I think it has something to do with stalks...

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 07:03 AM

mmm. All this talk about rhubarb has persuaded me to take a look in the garden. We have some ready for picking.. Next to the rhubarb there are leeks that are doing well. Maybe next week we can have 2 of my favourites - leeks in cheese sauce as the main course and rhubarb crumble and custard afterwards :-)

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: gnu
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:51 AM

My patch is covered in snow again this morning !!! They say snow is the poor man's fertilizer. Well, I must be gonna have six foot rhubarb this year. Snow at this time of year is not unusual, but it's certainly not normal.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Cluin
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:11 AM

By the way, the first batch of rhubarb in the late spring is the best of the season.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Cluin
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 06:10 AM

We have a family recipe for stewed rhubarb which uses Strawberry Jello. It's long been a favourite toast spread. Kids love it.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Sooz
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 04:39 AM

Looking forward to a rhubarb crumble for lunch today. Our patch is suddenly rampant. I always cook mine with orange as you don't nee as much sugar.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: Sorcha
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 03:41 AM

I have a rhubarb coffe cake reciept I will post tomorrow/later today when I am a little more coherent. It's sort of a "dump cake" receipe. Not too sweet at all.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: mouldy
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 02:27 AM

I'm taking note of these recipes - I've only recently heard of putting strawberries with rhubarb (being an apple or orange juice/demerara sugar/bit of ginger person up to date) and I have some rhubarb ready for pulling. Ian's back from China and I've got the chance to use some, as the kids aren't fond of it.

When I was a kid, my mum used to give me a peeled stalk of rhubarb and some sugar on a saucer to snack on. I did read somewhere that if you boil the leaves you can use the liquid as an insecticide or something. Anybody else come across this? I can't remember where I read it, so I can't verify it.

Andrea

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: GUEST,Ely
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 11:33 PM

My aunt's mother made a rhubarb pie that would pull your fillings out (I wish I had the recipe!). We always grew rhubarb in Colorado.

RHUBARB CAKE

Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon baking soda and let sit

cream together 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1/2 cup shortening, and 1 egg.

Combine these two and then add 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 1/2 cup (at least) chopped rhubarb. Spread into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan and top with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup sugar. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

NOTE: if that sounds like too much sugar, it might be--we used to eat things sweeter than we do now. I usually skimp, so you can reduce it with no ill effects.

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: michaelr
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 11:13 PM

oooh yeah, Spaw -- that sounds great! Rhubarb and strawberries are a match made in Ohio.

It should be noted that rhubarb is poisonous in its raw state... or is that the leaves? Just use the stalks only.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: rhubarb
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 07:51 PM

This is my personal favorite as it's not so sweet as to obliterate the taste of the rhubarb. I have sometimes cut the sugar by half and I like it better, but it's not sweet enough for some (who actually don't like rhubarb). This also works with just rhubarb (use 4 cups--diced) and 3/4 cup sugar. THAT is my personal choice because I really like the bite and tang of rhubarb. Anyway......The tapioca is what makes it gel together and it's a far more tasty thickener than other stuff! Use your favorite pie dough recipe or buy pre-mades and use one for the bottom and one for the top.

Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
   2      cups          rhubarb -- diced
   1      pint          strawberries
   1      cup          sugar
   3      tablespoons   tapioca -- quick-cooking
    1/4 teaspoon      salt
   3      tablespoons   butter

    Wash rhubarb, cut away any tough parts and chop into small pieces. Slice the strawberries and add to rhubarb. Mix the remaining ingredients and add to fruit. Blend well and allow to stand for up to 30 minutes to allow sugar to penetrate strawberries.
    Pour mixture into 9-inch pie crust, dot with margarine and cover with second crust. Cut slits in top crust. Bake in preheated 375-degree oven for 50-55 minutes.
    Cover pie with aluminum foil tented over it during first 30 minutes, removing to allow crust to brown during the last part of baking. About 10 minutes before done, brush on warm milk and sprinkle top crust lightly with sugar if desired.

Spaw

Subject: BS: rhubarb
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Apr 03 - 07:13 PM

Yesterday, I discovered a good sized patch of rhubarb in my yard. My Nana always made rhubarb pie with strawberries but I don't have her recipe. Anyone have some ideas.
And yes - the leaves are poisonous. Hope the cats know that.