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It seems like only a week or so ago that I saw my rhubarb plants sticking their red noses up through the soil and today I picked an armful of the slender stalks to make strawberry-rhubarb sauce and a pan of bars to have when the boys come out fishing tomorrow. You, who are dyed-in-the-wool fans of this tart vegetable (yes, it is a veggie, not a fruit as I’ve always thought it was), probably know all there is to know about planting, caring for and harvesting rhubarb. My rhubarb guru says the stalks should be harvested when they are about 12-15 inches in length and about the size of a thumb’s thickness. Usually you should harvest no more than two months to make sure you have hardy plants for next year, which would take me right up to the middle of July. The old standard is to stop picking right after the 4th of July, but I suppose if the spring is unusually cold, it could vary a bit. Be sure to pull them out at the base (do not cut them), pulling them to one side. Thinning out the thin stalks will help to develop the ones that are left. When the oblong-shaped seed stalk appear, cut them off. Then the plant will not put energy into making seeds but into the leaves and stalks of the plant. The USDA says a good crop of rhubarb depends on strong leaf growth the year before.

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Let’s do recipes. This dessert sounds like sour with sour, but if you like the puckery taste of lemon, you’ll like this.

LEMON-RHUBARB BROWN BETTY

2 c. graham cracker crumbs or dry bread crumbs

3 T. melted butter or margarine

2-1/2 c. diced rhubarb (a little less than a half-inch)

1/2 c. brown sugar or white sugar

1 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. grated lemon peel

1/3 c. hot water

Combine crumbs and butter; stir over low heat, in medium saucepan until lightly browned. Put one-third of mixture in greased 8x8x2 inch pan (glass preferred). Sprinkle half of rhubarb over crumbs. Sprinkle with half the sugar, lemon juice and peel. Add second layer of crumbs and rest of rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and peel. Cover with last of crumbs. Pour water over mixture. Bake at 350 degrees, 30-40 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Serve warm with cream or whipped topping. serves 6.

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Every year one of our daughters asks for rhubarb so she can make her favorite cake to bring to her workplace for a treat. It’s very good and moist.

CHERYL’S RHUBARB BUNDT CAKE

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

2-1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 c. buttermilk (if no buttermilk, put 1 T. vinegar in 1 c. measure and add milk to make 1 c. Let sit 5 minutes.)

2 c. finely chopped rhubarb

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

1 t. vanilla

TOPPING

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

In mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Mix in egg; add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and vanilla. Stir in rhubarb and nuts by hand. In small bowl, combine topping ingredients; set aside. Heavily grease a 12 cup bundt pan. Sprinkle half of cinnamon mixture in pan. Turn batter into pan; sprinkle rest of topping on top. Bake at 350 degrees, 40-45 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool on rack for 15 minutes, turn out onto serving plate. If you wish, you might drizzle a little powdered sugar icing over the cake when it’s cool. Serves 15.

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You’ll like this muffin recipe with the flavor of orange, if you like the taste of orange.

RHUBARB ORANGE PECAN MUFFINS

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar

1-1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3/4 c. chopped pecans

1 egg

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 t. grated orange rind

3/4 c. orange juice

1-1/4 c. finely chopped rhubarb

In large bowl, combine first six ingredients.

In another bowl, combine next four ingredients. Add to dry ingredients all at once and stir just until moistened. Stir in rhubarb. Fill 12 lightly greased (or use paper liners) muffin cups almost to the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

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Thought for the day: There is no sense in advertising your troubles. There’s no market for them.

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