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By Jennifer A. Wickes © 2005 History / Geography Early history indicates that rhubarb may have possibly come from Asia, specifically Russia. Rhubarb was used as a medicinal tonic until the 1800's. In Europe, Poland has used rhubarb in savory dishes, as well as Afghanistan. But Britain was first in using rhubarb in sweet dishes. Science Rheum Rhabarbarum Part of the Buckwheat Family. Varieties There are two main varieties of rhubarb: Hothouse: The stalks tend to be pink to a light red color, and the leaves are a yellowish-green. Field Grown: The stalks are bright red, and the leaves are a deep green. Season Late winter to early summer. How to Select Choose crisp stalks with bright colors. Usually the leaves have been removed beforehand, though if they are present they should not be limp, as limp leaves would be the first indicator of poor freshness. The tartness within rhubarb becomes stronger with darker colored stalks and leaves. Storage Rhubarb is highly perishable. Store in the refirgerator in a plastic bag for 3 days. Try freezing cooked rhubarb in ice cube trays. Fresh rhubarb can be cut into one-inch pieces and frozen on a flat cookie sheet, and bagged for storage. Nutritional Qualities Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Trivia Rhubarb is VERY tart, therefore it is usually accompanied with berries or a lot of sugar. Rhubarb is, botanically, a vegetable, yet is treated culinarily like a fruit. In World War I, soldiers were encouraged to eat rhubarb leaves as a vegetable source. Many people died from poisoning. It was believed that rhubarb's high oxalic acid content was the poison. Other foods, such as spinach, also contain oxalic acid, and no one has had any poisonings from spinach. In any case, the leaves and roots are toxic to one's system, despite no one knowing for sure why. Do NOT cook rhubarb in an aluminum pan. There is a chemical reaction between the aluminum and the rhubarb where the rhubarb will turn gray and pick up a metallic flavor. When wanting to maintain rhubarb's bright red color, add a touch of lemon juice or vinegar to your recipe in order to prevent the component in rhubarb that will make the rhubarb turn blue when heated. When cooking rhubarb, a lot of the juices will come out and the mixture will look soupy. When the mixture cools, the liquid tends to thicken up. Despite this fact, when making pies, make sure that some sort of thickener is used: 3 tbsp. (flour, cornstarch etc.) to ever 1.5 lbs. rhubarb.
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