As much as I detest the word “ignorant”, it does sufficiently describe my relationship with rhubarb. Prior to marrying my husband and trying the creations baked up by his two Pennsylvania Dutch grandmothers I had no clue it even existed. Even to this day rhubarb perplexes me. Who in the world first picked it and decided it should be turned into dessert? I can’t help but wonder how celery, which for all intents and purposes resembles rhubarb, became suited for soup or casserole and rhubarb is delegated to desserts.
For the record, I’m not a big fan of either. I’ll eat celery with blue cheese when they accompany chicken wings but it’s not the first vegetable I’d reach for on the crudites tray. As for rhubarb, I’ll pick wash, cut and cook it for pie filling but again, it’s not my first choice when I want to eat a slice of pie.
Nevertheless it’s rhubarb time of year and, as always, I’m amazed at the glee demonstrated by customers at our farm stand when they spot it. I suspect their delight stems in part because it’s something you cannot customarily find at the grocery store (especially ones in New York where I grew up). Spotting it they automatically launch into their favorite recipe for it including pies, sauce for ice cream and jelly. Considering its bitter taste it is not surprising that almost all of the recipes I’ve encountered consist of combining it with sugar.
When researching recipes other than pie ones I stumbled upon a web page called “The Rhubarb Compendium” that boasts a compilation of over 300 different recipes using rhubarb including, to my surprise, wine. One that caught my attention was rhubarb bread because it never occurred to me to use it in the same fashion I use bananas, zucchini and pumpkin throughout the season. You’re welcome to try that one on your own. I’ve got a difficult time visualizing that one so I’ll simply revert to pie and the recipe my husband begs me to make this time of year.
Arlene Werner’s (aka Nana) Sour Cream Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients:1 9″ unbaked pie shell
4 cups chopped rhubarb1 egg1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup sour cream1/3 cup flourCrumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour1/2 cup brown sugar1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions:Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread rhubarb into pie crust. In a bowl whisk together the egg, sugar, sour cream, and the 1/3 cup of flour until smooth. In a separate bowl combine the 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar and melted butter and mix with a fork until crumbs form. Sprinkle over the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Although I don’t use this recipe outside of our own household consumption I do employ Nana’s pie crimping technique with each and every Black Buggy Baking Company pie that gets baked. Despite the monotony of it I oftentimes recall her delight in watching me which is bittersweet. Just like rhubarb I suppose.
Felicia Fisher is the founder of Black Buggy Baking Company and lives in Oley, PA with her husband and three children who are all willing taste-testers. To find out what Felicia’s baking up visit her web page www.blackbuggybakingcompany.com or “Like” Black Buggy Baking Company on Facebook.
