In response to my rhubarb queries, I have just been googling rhubarb images. None of these are my own images, but my heart is pounding and my mouth is salivating and I almost want to cry because I have no idea where any rhubarb is close around me. In real life. 
I grew up ten feet away from the backyard rhubarb plant. Well, not always ten feet. I played in more than one spot in the yard. And it wasn't always in season. But my mom probably often had some frozen for those times. 
The mere mention of the rhubarb after a long winter season without it is enough to make my dad blubber with excitement. I believe he used to chew on raw, unsweetened rhubarb stalks as a kid. I remember seeing my soon-to-be aunt getting laughed at in pity that she had made it to adulthood and never had rhubarb. 
(strawberry rhubarb sauce)
That kind of dedication is on my mom's side--you better not marry in without feigning that you've been on the rhubarb wagon for a long time. Ask Mark. As for my dad's side, they brought rhubarb with them to Utah when they moved from Minnesota and transplanted it. Some of the aforementioned backyard stalk comes from that original rhubarb.
Did I mention one of my parents' cats is named Rhubarb?!
6 comments:
Nice post. I am not a fan of rhubarb. I tolerate it in a pie. You will have to convert me, Em. John and I liked that Prairie Home Companion movie...I forgot about that song. I'm a sucker for anything with Meryl Streep!
My dad used rhubarb as a decorative plant. I mean, not JUST decorative, obviously. We DO have SOME class, you know. But it was his way of maximizing rhubarb output, by using it in a place that was theoretically intended for decorative foliage. I also grew up in a home that always had a year's supply of rhubarb in the freezer, to say nothing of the flourishing plants outside.
Perhaps this is why we get along. We have both consumed enough rhubarb jam, strawberry rhubarb tarts and rhubarb cobbler that we have both turned rhubarb on a molecular level. Ask Mark. He'll explain it all scientifically to you.
Long Live The Rhubarb!
Plus, there is no other word like "rhubarb."
What wild man put an "h" next to an "r" in such a fashion?
Probably the same dude who is locked away in his basement thinking up word veris.
I still don't get it. What does it taste like? And...do you have to cook it before you eat it?
I never had Rhubarb growing up. I remember hearing it in the story of Rapunzel. I grew to love it last year. I made some rhubarb muffins that are the best I have ever had. I have been looking forward to this year just so I can make them again!
I'm a tad bit behind on blogging, but just had to let you know that Derek LOVES rhubarb too. One year for his birthday I made him a rhubarb pie. It is defintely on the top of his "legendary" favorite foods list. Oh and our new favorite Blue Bell flavor is Groom's Cake. Oh it is so yummy. I tried to find it at Walmart last night (when I saw you) and they didn't have it. I drove down to HEB and they didn't have it either. Bummer. See you soon. I missed seeing you for preschool today. We will have to get something going for the summer.
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