Rhubarb Shows Off Its Stripes

[elleng]

'There’s nothing tricky about making a great-tasting rhubarb cake, and there are plenty of recipes out there to prove it. But making one that’s also pretty? That’s more of a challenge.

With its high moisture content, rhubarb quickly disintegrates when it’s heated, turning into a beige mush that doesn’t reflect its rosy elegance when it’s intact.

Poaching the rhubarb in sugar syrup can help. The sugar lightly candies the stalks, helping them keep their shape while sweetening their intense tartness. Poaching also allows you to add flavorings. Vanilla is a classic choice, but you could just as easily throw in a few cardamom or star anise pods, a curl of lemon zest, or a couple of slices of fresh ginger root.

Be sure to keep the aromatics on the lighter side here. After poaching the rhubarb, the sugar syrup is boiled down into a glaze to be brushed over the cake, adding shine and moisture. Too much star anise, or any other ingredient for that matter, can become bitter when reduced.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/11/dining/rhubarb-poundcake-recipe.html?

(What I REALLY want is rhubarb/strawberry pie!!!)

[Ohiogal]

1. Strawberry-rhubarb pie is my husband's favorite pie.

[Saviolo]

2. Love rhubarb.

I grew up with my mom making strawberry rhubarb pies and strawberry rhubarb compote from the rhubarb in our back yard and strawberries from one of those big pick-your-own strawberry field places. Just delicious. We would even take raw rhubarb and a little dish of sugar, and dip the stalks in the sugar and eat them (I guess that's where my enduring love of sour things came from).

Also, when my hubby had his restaurant, he'd make apple rhubarb compote for his pancake stacks. The really excellent bakery up the street from where we live does rhubarb danishes and rhubarb frangipane tarts.

This is making my mouth water...

[Siwsan]

3. I've never been a fan of Rhubarb pie, in any variation, but Rhubarb/Cherry cobbler is amazing

Topped with whipped cream, of course. I also make a pretty groovy Rhubarb Ginger Jam. Which reminds me - time to go start harvesting that Rhubarb from my garden.