It’s Time for Rhubarb!

Rhubarb is just beginning to show up in markets now so this recipe from the “Splendid Table” blog comes just in time.
Unlike most vegetables, rhubarb is only available here in season. This doesn’t bother me, there are quite a few things like asparagus, tomatoes, and peaches that I only eat when they’re in season even though they’re available year-round. In fact waiting for the proper season means that it is not only better and fresher, but is an excuse to gorge on it.
Rhubarb is one of those funny crossovers like tomatoes. Just as tomatoes are a fruit that we treat (and generally regard) as a vegetable, rhubarb is a vegetable that we generally treat as a fruit. Rhubarb has been used medicinally since 2700 BC in China, but only became popular as a food around the 17th century in England when cane sugar became readily available. This is because rhubarb is extremely tart and not particularly edible without sweetening.  More…