Rhubarb Season

I get so excited when I see local rhubarb at our farm markets.  Seasonal cooking and baking has begun and one of the first things I make each Spring is rhubarb sauce. When I was very young, my grandfather used to make this.  I wouldn't eat it back then but I loved the smell of it. I got over being a picky eater a long time ago and now I love rhubarb sauce.


It is so easy to make.  Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1 inch pieces and put them in a heavy pot.


Add a cup or so of sugar, the amount depends on how much rhubarb you are using.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon along with the lemon's zest and stir it all together.


Cover the pot and set the heat at medium low.


Once it starts to bubble, cook it stirring occasionally until it thickens.



 And always melt a pat of butter into the hot rhubarb sauce just like my papa did.  You can eat this plain or spread it on toast.  My husband likes it over vanilla ice cream.

Comments

Mary Bolton said…
Just thinking rubarb marmalade makes my mouth water!
What beautiful red rhubarb that is! Rhubarb sauce was a staple on the prairies when I was a kid. It was a favourite of our Depression-era parents. These days, alas, no one serves it anymore with meals, and it is our loss. Now every rhubarb recipe seems to include strawberries to offset the rhubarb's tartness.
Irene said…
My in laws call this stewed rhubarb, I grew a ton of plants from seed last year. It grew really easily which surprised me as I've always bought crowns. Anyway, I made the stewed rhubarb for them as the love it. Rhubarb and
a bit of water...only. They are diabetic. I figured they would add their sweeter of choice when they got it. My hubby took it to them as I was ill that day. They went for it with gusto! Making faces and shivering as they kept going back for more, he said. They ate it all. After he came home and told me, I called and told them HE was supposed to tell them to ad sweetener but was enjoying the show! I am sure it was a heck of a show!
Susan said…
My grandmother used to make the most wonderful strawberry rhubarb pie. A neighbor used to grow rhubarb and one year she gave me several spears. I made the sauce, just as you describe. Delicious.
Never tried that but I think I would agree with Your husband :-) I've just learned why I've had a bad stomach since I was born, I can't tolerate gluten. Not bad finding that out after almost 59 years :-) :-) So now I'll have to figure out what to use when baking pies :-)

Have a great day!
Helen said…
My dad loved rhubarb (grew up in Northern Wisconsin) but we lived in Northern Illinois. One of the Junes I was home and dad was pulling out a bowl of rhubarb for his breakfast. Took a big bite and went to the sink and dumped it. It was left-over salmon (squishy?) from some place they had eaten (VFW maybe). He had a disgusted look on his face. And I can certainly see why if one thought they were getting rhubarb, but ended up with salmon. Enjoy your rhubarb.
Guillaume said…
I love rhubarb jam and rhubarb crumble. I remember the rhubarb growing in my grandmother's garden, sitll remember the look and the smell.