Asparagus tends to get the spotlight in early to late spring because it’s one of the first fresh vegetables to make an appearance after the doldrums of winter.
But now that it’s May, another long green stalk is ready for its closeup. This one, however, isn’t as tender as asparagus, and you probably don’t want to eat it out of hand raw unless you love food that causes your face to pucker.
Now is the time when long, vibrant stalks of rhubarb arrive in local markets (it can grow up to 3 feet tall), thrilling cooks and bakers with its unique, tart flavor, and endless possibilities.
I grew up eating rhubarb in an oatmeal-based crisp sweetened with strawberries, as my mom was pretty old-school when it came to desserts. A couple years ago, I even got a plant of my own from my green-thumbed oldest sister, Kathy, who was manager of ground services at the University of Pittsburgh before retiring. It sits in a giant planter next to my tomato garden, a harbinger of all the good things to come this growing season.
Because rhubarb is often tossed with sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar to tame its naturally tart flavor, the “pie plant”—a member of the buckwheat family—most often finds its way into sweet desserts like pie, crumbles and crisps, ice cream, and jam. Often, it’s paired with sweet and juicy fruits such as strawberries or raspberries.
But this veggie lends itself pretty wonderfully to any number of savory dishes, too. For instance, you can slow-roast it with a pinch of salt, stir it into a curry or cook it into a chutney to serve with pork or chicken.
If you love anything and everything pickled, you'll be delighted to learn rhubarb also can be preserved in a tart brine with garlic and ginger. And it can add a tart zing to a smoothie or cocktail.
While it’s botanically classified as a vegetable, rhubarb is often thought of as a fruit by cooks because it’s used so often in sweet desserts. But really, all that matters is that you’re eating something colorful that’s good for you.
Rhubarb is high in vitamins C and K (important for bone health), and it’s a good source of dietary fiber. Low in calories (there’s less than 30 calories per raw cup, so long as you’re not adding sugar), the plant also provides bone-building calcium.
While rhubarb is famous for its crimson-red stalks, it actually can also be pink or green; color indicates the variety, and doesn’t affect flavor or indicate ripeness. Whatever hue, it typically arrives at the farmers market, grocery, or in your CSA box stripped of any greenery because only the stalks are edible (its heart-shaped leaves are toxic).
When choosing rhubarb, look for well-colored stalks that are firm and crispy-looking. Don’t worry about peeling it or having to cook it as soon as you bring it home; stored in a plastic bag, rhubarb will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
The vegetable also can be cut up and frozen for up to a year—aw, blanched, or cooked. Just remember to freeze the individual pieces separately on a tray before placing them in a bag to keep them loose.
Rhubarb Cocktail
PG tested
Serves 4This sweet-tart, pretty-in-pink drink just tastes like spring. The syrup also can be used to flavor granita, to sweeten tea or lemonade or even as a glaze for chicken.
For the syrup
