Every January, normally after three kings' day (more commonly known as twelfth knight), greengrocers up and down the country sell off the last of their clementine and chestnut stock to make space on their shelves for the new seasons forced rhubarb. I struggle to think of a vegetable that divides the nation quite like radiant rhubarb, but for me, these delicate spears of pink are as synonymous with Springtime as the exquisite snowdrop, and so I'm here to big up this underrated ingredient.
A Brief History.
Thought to have been used in Chinese medicine for it's purgative properties as far back as 2700 BC, Rhubarb was first discovered growing in the harsh climates of Siberia, specifically along the bank of the mighty Volga River. The man responsible for it's cultivation in Britain was the 18th Century Apothercary, William Hayward who grew the plant from seed on his land in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Over time, Rhubarb's medicinal uses were trumped by advances in modern medicine and so it became celebrated for it's culinary capabilities instead.
Forcing Rhubarb.
In the late 19th century, most of Britains Rhubarb was grown in the suburbs of London during the summer months, until the Whitwell family of Leeds began to 'force' the vegetable in huge numbers on their Yorkshire farm during the Winter. They found that their cool microclimate in the shadow of the Pennines provided the perfect growing climate for the plant. The process of 'forcing' the vegetable begins with the hardening off of the plant outdoors for a couple of growing seasons before bringing the roots inside to large, dark greenhouses where they are starved of light. The stems then grow upwards at a rate of an inch per day, and make a distinct creaking sound as they do so. The perfectly pink, thin stems that are far sweeter than the summer crop, are then harvested by candlelight. How Dickensian.
Rhubarb in the kitchen.
I'm sure I speak for most keen cooks up and down the country when I say the knee-jerk reaction when presented with a bunch of fresh rhubarb is to make the classic crumble and serve with cream or custard. There is nothing wrong with the classics, they're so well-loved for a reason. However, more recently the ingredient has been praised for it's use in savoury dishes by celebrity chefs, particularly when served alongside fatty cuts of meat such as pork loin or oily fish like grilled mackerel. Check out my recipes for Rhubarb Mojito and Rhubarb and custard cake here.
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