Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is known for good cooking.
Rhubarb is grown on many of the farms in our area.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Rhubarb Sauce are common foods here.
Rhubarb is grown on many of the farms in our area.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Rhubarb Sauce are common foods here.
I was raised on Rhubarb, pulled fresh from the garden.
We often had Rhubarb Sauce as a dessert or snack in the evening.
The Humble Rhubarb Plant...
at first glance there isn't much to it.
It has large leaves and grows in a mound.
In fact it likes to be planted on a mound, because it doesn't like "wet feet".
(The plant is an "ornamental" and can easily grow 2 ft. high by 3 feet wide.
I have mine planted throughout my gardens.)
I have mine planted throughout my gardens.)
The "gold' is the red stalks.
Is Rhubarb a fruit or is it a vegetable ?? I have read both.
In the USA it is more common to call it a fruit.
In the USA it is more common to call it a fruit.
When harvesting Rhubarb, you want to firmly pull the stalk.
Don't use a knife or scissor to cut the stalk,
because it invites disease into the crown of the plant.
Don't use a knife or scissor to cut the stalk,
because it invites disease into the crown of the plant.
Our family recipe...
Orange Rhubarb Sauce
10-13 Rhubarb stalks, trimmed and washed.
Cut Rhubarb into 1 inch pieces.
Place in a large pan.
Add 2 Cups water and simmer until soft.
Rhubarb will break apart and look like above picture when ready.
Add one 3 ounce package of orange jello and 1/4 Cup of Sugar.
Stir until dissolved.
Stir until dissolved.
Add 2 large cans of Mandarin oranges that have been drained.
Sweet and mildly tart, "old fashioned" goodness !
(Instead of oranges, you can substitute
strawberry jello and halved strawberries.)
Pennies In Progress...
strawberry jello and halved strawberries.)
Pennies In Progress...
This is one of those projects that fits perfectly "between" projects !
Easy to pick up and put down.
Easy to pick up and put down.
Not much more to go...
Colorfully stitching along...
Rose
Colorfully stitching along...
Rose