Thursday 24 May 2018

Ode to a Rhubarb Crisp

Tomorrow is pot luck Friday at work. Sometimes I participate, sometimes I don't. It isn't every Friday. In fact, I can't remember the last pot luck we had. I am participating in this one and I called dibs on bringing something with rhubarb in it.

I did not like rhubarb as a child. My mother made stewed rhubarb which is essentially boiled rhubarb that ends up being mushy and slightly stringy. We ate it warmed up. There was something about rhubarb that made my teeth feel funny. Does anyone know what I mean?

Now that I grow my own rhubarb from a plant that I bought years ago at our little local nursery, I have some favourite recipes. Tonight I baked a strawberry / rhubarb crisp. The strawberries are from my garden (frozen from last year, it's still too early for berries now) and the rhubarb I pulled from the corner of my garden.

There is something about the colours in rhubarb, that scrumptious combination of green and pomegranate red, that I just love. Combine that with beautiful red strawberries and you have a winning combination.


Is that not glorious?

Here is my crisp as it was being "built".


There is still a syrupy mixture to pour over top and a crumb topping made with flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to add.


The finished product ready to be taken to work to share with my fantastic co-workers.

I have many white blossoms on my strawberry plants. I think it will be a good haul this year. I will freeze more rhubarb as well, so I can keep making this dessert frequently throughout the year.

I will not, however, be making stewed rhubarb.

14 comments:

  1. What lucky co workers you have, this crisp looks quite yummy. Mr Man like strawberry/rhubarb pie which I make once in a while because I don't like it so I need to make when I know others around to eat, so maybe this year I'll try a crisp. I make a rhubarb orange loaf which I truly enjoy with my tea. Hope you have a good weekend, free of black fly bites :) ... Mary-Lou =^..^=

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  2. Yes, rhubarb does leave a funny feeling on your teeth....still....I always liked stewed rhubarb (over ice cream). Your cumble looks delightful.

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  3. I have tasted it and liked the slightly tangy flavor. It is in the grocery stores, but it isn't eaten much in my part of the US. Don't know why. It is beautiful. I watched a boy eating a large stalk of rhubarb in Whole Foods once and thought his mother must be very vigilant about what he eats.

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  4. We were once offered rhubarb crumble in a British pub because they were out of the berry version. I almost turned my nose up, but didn't and what a wonderful surprise it turned out to be. Yours looks delicious.

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  5. Your recipe sounds a lot like mine. However, a couple/few years ago I discovered a rhubarb cake recipe we just can't get enough of. (And I don't even usually like any cake!) So that's what I'm going to make as soon as our rhubarb is ready. (Just a little longer!)

    It's the oxalic acid in the rhubarb that makes your teeth feel funny. It can be noticed in spinach, too. And I know it can be an objectionable feeling, sometimes more pronounced than others. But for a good rhubarb treat, I think it's worth it!!

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  6. This looks delicious. I love rhubarb. But I can't eat anything with so much sugar in it, so I'll just enjoy the memories. Now strawberries, I can eat. And love. Just plain berries.

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  7. Rhubarb is very popular in England and many people have what is known as a rhubarb patch in the garden. Yes, it does that to teeth. We always had rhubarb and custard with a some loose pastry, I stew it these days and have it with evaporated milk which I would guess even in England is rare!

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  8. I’m envious of your coworkers!

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  9. You'll bring that back empty! When I was a child we had a rhubarb plant. We also had a horseradish plant. We used both.

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  10. My parents love rhubarb with strawberries whether it be in a pie, a crisp, or a jam! I have often thought of putting in a rhubarb patch but my sweetie cannot tolerate it at all, so perhaps asparagus is a better use of space!!

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  11. I hope you have a great strawberry haul! I planted my 12 roots, only 5 of them are looking healthy but I have my fingers crossed. What you described about the rhubarb, I feel that way with celery and leeks....that teeth thing. I was served rhubarb the same way and I still can't bring myself to eating any, your little dessert looks very delicious though!

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  12. All I can say is....yum! My rhubarb is almost ready to pick but a friend gave me some from her garden and I stewed it and had it with sweetened sour cream. It was very tasty.

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  13. Oh, that is indeed glorious! I want to dig right in. We are working on the flower beds this spring and I hope to squeeze in some strawberries!

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  14. I love the combination of rhubarb and strawberries. We have been having rhubarb in abundance. A favourite one I have been making this year from my new Mary Berry book. Rhubarb and white chocolate mousse. You do need young red stalks for it so I have frozen the older pieces for crumble later in the year.Your's sounds good. Could we have the recipe?

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