rhubarb rhubarb

go straight to the preparation technique

Very few old fashioned ingredients have survived as popular as rhubarb. Put a rhubarb and apple crumble on your menu and the delight it delivers is out of proportion with the simplicity of the dish. Unsurprisingly if you do a Google search for rhubarb recipes a simple crumble is repeated time and time again.

Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, and more amazing still its country of origin, Russia, Southern Siberia, so it is not surprising that the earliest records of the use of rhubarb date to around 2700BC in the Mongolian region of China. Like celery we eat the leaf stalks, though, unlike celery, the leaves of rhubarb give mild poisoning and should definitely not be eaten. In antiquity it was widely used for medicinal purposes, and records show that medicines made from rhubarb were commonly unpleasant digestive medications. Given this history, it is surprising that so little was recorded about the toxicity of rhubarb leaves. Unwisely the American government encouraged the consumption of rhubarb leaves during the food shortages of World War one. The result was disastrous with many people being quite seriously poisoned.

Rhubarb is best propagated from crowns and does not like extremes of temperature, either hot or cold, which can cause it to remain firmly underground. It is less particular about the types of soil it grows in and lasts from 2 – 4 years, another good reason to keep breaking it up if you are lucky enough to have it in your garden. When purchasing rhubarb, always look for firm crisp, bright red stems without any blackening or discolouration.

The very famous Mrs. Hanna Glasse in her chronicles written in 1747 mentions that Rhubarb fritters can be easily made by dipping lengths into batter and frying them in hot oil, draining well and generously dusting with sugar.

Savoury and sweet recipes for rhubarb will be added in July and August.

AO 24 JUNE 2024