Click: Red: Rhubarb

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is in season from April to September in the United States.  I bought some when it was in season last year and clicked these photos then.  I made cake with it on the day I got to know about my son's food allergies - It was indeed a depressing day and I almost ate the whole cake.  

I first tasted rhubarb when we lived in Belgium in a restaurant that served it with venison.  It went well with the gamy flavor of venison. I had no clue, what this vegetable was back then. I then came across it in desserts.  

The stalk of the rhubarb is firm, and while red on the outside, it's green inside.  Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable but it is treated as a fruit, and is used mainly in pies and desserts. I love the tart taste of rhubarb.

To buy rhubarb, look for the firm, plump  and crisp stalks.  Beware - do not eat the leaves as they are poisonous - they contain oxalic acid. Rhubarb should be stored in fridge as it wilts easily.  It can't be stored for more then a few days after you buy it.  Use it in desserts to make cakes, pies, puddings, crumbles and jams.  

I will definitely buy Rhubarb when it appears in the supermarkets this year and will post a recipe here.  

For more information on rhubarb click here.

The above photo is going for Click, it is a monthly food photography event hosted by Jugalbandi.