I know it’s finally spring when I see my rhubarb plants beginning to sprout. This majestic but unassuming plant has been a staple of British cooking since 1837 when Queen Victoria used the plant as a symbol for her coronation. In fact, the introduction of this quirky coronation commemorative marked the beginning of what would be a long and passionate love affair between the Victorians and rhubarb.
My love affair of rhubarb began in the 70’s when my British ex-pat mother would grow a bounty and quickly turn it into jellies, jam, custard, pies and this following recipe. Keep calm and love rhubarb!
– Tina
RHUBARB FOOL
Start to finish: 2 hours / Servings: 8
2 cups rhubarb, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
16 ounces Greek yogurt
Place the rhubarb in a pan with the sugar over low heat. Simmer, covered, until tender. Uncover, turn up the heat to medium and allow some of the juice to evaporate. Set aside and cool.
Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then carefully fold in the yogurt. Loosely swirl in the cooled rhubarb (you should still be able to see bright red streaks amid the pale white cream and yogurt mixture), and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve in shallow dishes or glasses.
Let’s be honest. There is always a bounty of rhubarb in your garden and there is always your neighbour or friend trying to get rid of their rhubarb. I like to make the following cocktail while relaxing on my back deck in the cool spring breeze.
THE ALPENGLOW RHUBARB COCKTAIL
2 ounces gin
¾ ounce homemade Rhubarb and Vanilla Syrup*
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce pear purée
*HOMEMADE RHUBARB & VANILLA SYRUP
5 stalks (700 g) rhubarb, washed and chopped into cubes
3 cup water
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 – 3 vanilla beans (can substitute vanilla extract)
Add rhubarb and water to large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until rhubarb has broken down to a porridge consistency.
Remove from heat and strain with fine meshed strainer into bowl, add sugar and vanilla, stir until all sugar has dissolved. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.
Shake with ice in a martini shaker then strain into a glass with a cocktail strainer.
