So Edible is a monthly feature with recipes and cooking tips to inspire eating fresh home-made food.
It’s curious how rather insignificant events can be permanently burned in your brain to become a life-long memory. My first recollection of strawberry rhubarb pie is a curiously permanent food memory.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Black Pepper and Cardamom
The summer before I started 5thgrade my family moved to a small town in Northern California. This was actually moving back home in a familial sense. My grandparents built their lives in this town and it’s where my mother was born and raised. I on the other hand, was an Army brat accustomed to moving every three years like clockwork. This move was significant; we were transitioning into civilian life. We wouldn’t be living on an Army base in an assigned Army house with all white walls and rules forbidding wallpaper.
The first step in buying a house is house hunting. The idea of wondering though other people’s homes was thrilling. Somehow I managed to tag along on one of these expeditions. I don’t recall where my sisters were, but I do recall being very excited about getting to participate in this grown-up activity. The realtor was a middle aged woman with large hair and a slightly over-the-top pushy personality. After visiting a number of homes we stopped at a diner for a coffee break. The realtor offered to buy me a piece of pie and immediately began raving about strawberry rhubarb pie, which happened to be on the menu. I had never had such a thing. Swayed by her enthusiasm I ordered the strawberry rhubarb pie.
Fresh Rhubarb
I was supremely disappointed with my pie. It just wasn’t that good, though I mustered enthusiasm about it so as to not disappoint her. It’s entirely possible that it was just plain old bad pie, it’s also possible that at the tender age of 10, or whatever age one is before going into 5thgrade, my palate was simply not developed enough to appreciate the tart flavor of rhubarb. Either way I learned that I didn’t like strawberry rhubarb pie and that I shouldn’t take culinary advice from a slightly over-the-top pushy realtor with big hair.
Why this food memory is seared in my brain so permanently I have no idea. My parents ended up buying a lovely three bedroom rambler in a new housing development built next to almond orchards. I learned to wallpaper that summer too.
Rhubarb, Lime, and Ginger
Despite having a less than positive introduction to rhubarb as a child, it’s become one of my favorite ingredients. The confounding nature of this vegetable starts with the acidic tart flavor and electric pink color, and is compounded by the fact that it’s generally treated as a fruit and is never sold with the leaves because, well, they’re toxic. Its strangeness appeals to me because I’m a sucker for the oddball things in life.
Pickled Rhubarb
It was just a few years ago that I had another significant food experience with rhubarb. Dining at Charlie Trotter’s new place in Las Vegas, Restaurant Charlie, I had a work of art, I mean a salad. This was the first time I’d ever had rhubarb as a vegetable. Thinly sliced and pickled. Its crunchy tart nature fully exposed without the sweet protection of a strawberry, and it was lovely.
Rhubarb Jam with Ginger and Lime
Rhubarb’s arrival in the market is a sure sign of spring. Torrential rain, blustery winds, and pelting hail storms will be short-lived now and the full onslaught of delectable summer produce right around the corner. Don’t skip over this ruby gem while waiting for the more familiar. A lovely pie, simple jam, or quick pickle is a great way to make friends with this unusual member of the vegetable world.
Recipe Links
Carol Peterman
Carol writes the blog feature, So Edible, a monthly post with recipes and cooking tips to inspire eating fresh homemade food. Carol is the owner of TableFare, a company developing unique kitchen products that combine the best of form and function to create superior usability and beauty. As a passionate cook obsessed with spices, she loves to inspire others to cook and share their food experiences. She writes the blog mix, mix...stir, stir on TableFare.com, teaches cooking classes to low-income families as a volunteer with Operation Frontline, and is always ready for a food adventure. Connect with Carol onTwitter @TableFare and Facebook.
* This post is from a Girl Power Hour featured blogger. It is not written, edited or endorsed by Girl Power Hour. The authors are solely responsible for content.
Before you leave a comment, be sure to sign up for a Gravatar.
