Thursday, January 14, 2010

A Dumb Post for January?

A few days ago Erin of Garden Now - Think Later and I were sending back and forth comments pertaining to my recent post on making meat balls. She said that she was going to make Swedish Meat Balls over Noodles for dinner that night and I jokingly said that sounded wonderful, what time was she serving? (Since I invited myself, I volunteered to bring a pie for dessert. How generous was that?) Granted it would have been one heckuva drive for dinner . . . from northern-most Minnesota to the coast of Virgina . . . but it sure sounded good!

She wrote back that I should make it a Rhubarb Pie, please. That got me going. Having a weak mind and being easily programmable (is that a real word?), I started thinking about how very much I LOVE rhubarb. Mmm-mm, love it, love it, love it.

And thinking about rhubarb reminded me of a little book I bought a couple of years ago.

"Life's Little Rhubarb Cookbook: 101 Rhubarb Recipes" written by Joan Bestwick. What a good book!

As you can see, even though I've had the book for some time and have used it a lot, there are still many rhubarb recipes that I've yet to try. Actually, I probably needn't have taken the trouble to mark all the recipes I want to make. I could have just started at the first page and worked my way completely through the book.

So maybe none of us have access to fresh rhubarb in January, but some of you might have some frozen in the freezer. Or perhaps, if you're a rhubarb lover like I am, you'll want to check a copy of this great little book out of the library to see if you like it as much as I do. Then come spring time, you'll be standing over the rhubarb plant just as anxious as I will be for the first stalks to be big enough to use in one of these wonderful recipes.

7 comments:

Val said...

I love how bloggers make friends so easy and it is just like we have known them for a long long time.

beth said...

Amazing! YOU like rhubarb too?? My daughter bought me a pie this week before she went off to school. Rhubarb...my favorite!

Erin said...

You are crazy! I had to laugh when I saw all those little stickies in your Rhubarb cookbook! Now that I have lived all over the U.S., I am really fascinated by northern gardeners' obsession with rhubarb, especially in Minnesota! Grandma made rhubarb anything, my mother ooohed and aahhhhed over the stand of Rhubarb that was planted at my brother's new house from the previous owner. I don't get it, lol! I must admit I have only had it once, in a Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp at a farmer's market here in VA. My hubby said "why did you get THAT?", and I said "cuz I want to see what all the fuss is about"! But I will say that I will plant it when I move back north even if it's just because they are really pretty additions to an edible landscape! I'm thinking I'll start slow, maybe a Rhubarb infused iced tea? Does anyone do that? LOL...

RuthieJ said...

dang, Mama Pea, now you've got me hungry for rhubarb too. Sometimes I see it at the grocery store in the freezer section. I'll have to add it to my shopping list for tomorrow.

Mama Pea said...

Valerie - Isn't that the truth?! I would feel totally comfortable inviting any of you into my home . . . for a meal and slice of rhubarb pie!!

Hi, Beth - Although my mom wasn't a gardener, my grandpa was and kept us supplied with fresh veggies from his garden including rhubarb (a fruit or a vegetable?). Mom was a good baker and I grew up on rhubarb pie. Now it's always the first thing we can eat out of our garden (well, maybe chives are the very first) and I can hardly wait for that first pie!

Hi, Erin - Rhubarb IS a beautiful plant! And stays nice looking even after you stop cutting it mid-summer.

We grow it so profusely up here in the frozen tundra because it's one "fruit" we can depend on!

You mentioned a rhubarb infused iced tea? The book has a section on drinks made with rhubarb! One of the very best punches I've EVER tasted was a Rhubarb Punch made by an older gal who used to live in our community. Long live rhubarb!

Hi, Ruthie - This is pretty early in the year for us to be hungering for rhubarb . . . frozen may have to do it for a while!

Jo said...

I've got two gallons of chopped rhubarb in my freezer as we speak! Our favorite recipe is rhubarb cobbler. Do you have any favorites you'd like to share? The only thing we use it for is the above-mentioned cobbler, pie and jelly. So I need more ideas. And you are a great idea lady!

Mama Pea said...

Truly, my best rhubarb recipes are from this little book I blogged about. There is a Rhubarb Cream Delight Dessert in there that is to die for. Kind of like a cream cheese cake. (Oh, my mouth is watering.) Also a Rhubarb Crunch that has crumble mixture on the bottom, a cooked rhubarb thickened layer in the middle and then more crumble mixture on top. The BEST crunch/crumble/cobbler I've tasted.

The table of contents is Jams, Preserves & Conserves; Sauces & Relish; Punch; Side Dishes, Soups & Salads; Pies & Cake; Desserts & Pudding.

Literally too many good rhubarb recipes/ideas.