Ode to Rhubarb Pie

I was perusing the produce at the grocery store yesterday and found an unexpected treasure. Fresh rhubarb! For those of you who live somewhere rhubarb grows like crazy (and I understand there are such places) I suppose I need to explain why I consider fresh rhubarb a treasure. Very simply- I live in Texas. According to my recent research, it is possible to grow rhubarb here August-May, but the heat kills it in the summer so, unlike in northern locales where rhubarb is a perennial, it must be replanted every year here. And even then it doesn't always grow well. Sadly, this has created an entire region devoid, for all intents and purposes, of rhubarb. And this, if you've never tried rhubarb, is a truly sad state of affairs. My in-laws are from up north...a cooler place where rhubarb grows happily and everybody eats it in a multitude of ways so for years now I've had access to the occasional rhubarb dessert (my father-in-law makes an awesome rhubarb crisp). Once upon a time rhubarb could be found pre-chopped and frozen in bags, but even this has been an oddity in recent years. So, yesterday, when I happened upon fresh stalks of rhubarb scrunched between the corn cobs and radishes, I had to buy some. I honestly think it may have been the first rhubarb I've ever seen fresh and in person. And it's lovely, really; two gorgeous shades: an intense rosey, cranberry red on the outside, soft, cool green on the inside. Except for the red, it's quite like a celery. (It is prudent to note, I think, that the leaves are toxic and therefore inedible). I pondered long and hard before deciding what to do with my rhubarb and finally settled on a rhubarb-raspberry pie.

sliced rhubarbrhubarb and raspberriesready for the ovenall done!Mmmmmm!

If you're interested in cooking with rhubarb (assuming you can find some) see: http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/.
Not only is rhubarb delicious (it's uniquely tart), but it's also a really cool word...think about it...RHUBARB. Am I right? (It's such a favorite I even have a friend with whom rhubarb is my nickname!) Not only that, but it also lends it's name to an adorable font (one of my favorites- I downloaded it a couple of months ago...get it for free here: rhubarb pie font) And, if you're looking to add some rhubarb to your home, but can't get hold of the actual stalk- Mrs. Meyers (you know, of Mrs. Meyers clean day products) has a spring cleaning kit in her yummy rhubarb scent!

I actually painted a sign at the beginning of the summer featuring rhubarb pies!

(<- see?)







Who knew rhubarb was so beautiful, delicious, and inspiring?



sweetly, happily, and artfully yours,
rhubarb