Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Picture Perfect Weather

Today is a beautiful sunny day in the North Woods.  I'm hoping the temps are warm enough to kick start some growth in the garden.  My rhubarb plants have been producing for a few weeks and it's time to start thinking about preserving some of their yummy goodness.  Perhaps canning some rhubarb sauce this week is in order.  Rhubarb freezes well .. it's great to pull out in the winter to bake up a pie or for stewing.

The leaves are poisonous .. but you can add them to the compost heap without a problem.  Nothing says it's gardening time better than the arrival of rhubarb.

Simmered Rhubarb:

4 cups diced rhubarb stalks
3/4 cup sugar
water to cover

Simmer the rhubarb for a few minutes then cover the pan and let it sit until cool.  This method keeps the rhubarb pieces whole.  For a sweeter version, cook uncovered until tender and liquid has reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2 in volume ..  Rhubarb goes well with strawberries and apples in pies.

11 comments:

Bethany said...

I did not know the leaves were poisonus. Thanks for the info!

~TastyTravels~ said...

Gorgeous rhubard!! Last year was my first time cooking with them. What a great find! Congrats on your harvest!

Cabbage Tree Farm said...

Lovely to have all that rhubarb. I haven't had much success at growing it but will keep trying!

Felisol said...

Wow, my rhubarbs are out too. Maybe I should freeze some for later use. My mother used to make rhubarb soup with whipped cream topping. The sweet taste of summer.

Wendy said...

That rhubarb is beautiful! I wish I could grow rhubarb successfully. I've got a little plant with about 3 skinny stalks. If I "harvested" it, the plant would probably die!

Geno said...

We are going to have to get some of that going for next year. I love rhubarb.

Bethany said...

Hey, I received the Good Blogger Award today and would love to pass it on to you! have a great day!

Laurie said...

I've not had any luck keeping mine alive. You've inspired me to give it another try. Any tips in keeping it happy?

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

Your rhubarb is big. I have never eaten any rhubarb dish before. The way you prepare it sounds yummy.

Mrs. Mac said...

I have good soil perhaps in this part of the garden. Other than that, I don't even water it very often. Perhaps our cooler weather is helpful. I know you're not supposed to harvest it the first few years. It's always the first thing to spring back to life after winter. Thanks Bethany for the award .. I'll see how much time and how temperamental my internet connection is.

Felisol .. Rhubarb soup with whipped cream sounds like a good thing to have for dessert :)

Geno .. you'll probably have good luck with rhubarb in your area.

Maria Stahl said...

I tried dehydrating some this spring. It dehydrated okay; have not tried to do anything with it yet. First I find out if it's going to mold in the jar. :)