Rhubarb Can Do All That?

Just about two weeks ago, here in New England, I had a flashback to being a kid again. I was visiting my Mom over Easter weekend and helping her with a little gardening. My Mom is a container gardener nowadays. She can’t bend too low or lift too much, but planting a few flowers and veggies makes her happy, and it gives her something to do with ALL those plastic containers she’s collected over the years and refuses to throw away! On her potting table, was a pot already sprouting tender stalks of rhubarb. This was particularly magical because this plant is probably as old as I am ~ about 40-ish.  It has been dug up, moved, transplanted, dug up again, moved and transplanted countless times and ended up in this old plastic container – isn’t mother nature amazing!

The power of that simple pot of an old, heirloom plant was amazing too. It brought back so many memories of being in my Dad’s garden, where he would spend hours and hours, day after day, in the bright sun with no concern about sunscreen, just thinking about how he could make his garden bigger and better than the old man’s next door! And the rhubarb, a simple plant that was at the front border, almost like it was standing guard with its thick shiny red stems and big bold green leaves, which are highly poisonous by the way, protecting the rest of the garden from intruders. Knowing my Dad, I bet he designed it that way on purpose.

 If you’ve never had rhubarb, it’s nature’s own sweet tart. Its super fibrous stalks are so deliciously tempting that you can’t resist cutting it out of the garden on a hot summer day, washing it off with the hose, and taking a big bite. Then, because it is so sour, you’re immediate reaction is to suck your cheeks in, scrunch up your nose, and run inside the house to get a bowl of sugar and start dipping!

If you don’t have any growing in your own garden, you can find rhubarb at your local grocery store or farm stand.  Rhubarb (technically a vegetable) is often cooked in pies and jams where its tartness is balanced with the sweetness of fruits such as strawberries. It can also be easily washed, chopped and simmered in a little water and sugar making a sauce that can be eaten on it’s own, served over ice cream, or with a shortcake and whipped cream! Yummmmy!

 Rhubarb has been around for thousands of years, originally being used for its medicinal qualities – again, Mother Nature giving us what we need! Today we might give it the designation of being a “super food” because it’s loaded with vitamins, nutrients and phytochemicals that have the potential to treat, alleviate, or prevent various physical conditions.  Rhubarb has natural laxative properties, may help lower cholesterol, has some antibacterial properties and current research suggests it might be useful in treating certain types of cancer.

For more information and recipes for rhubarb consult your favorite search engine.

 I hope you enjoyed this blog; it’s my first one! My fascination with food is all about having fun, telling stories and how it keeps us all connected to one another. If this story tiggers a memory or idea for you, let me know. The more we share, the more exciting it will be for all of us!