🤔 Today's Trivia Question:

Which of the Following is NOT a Fruit?

Correct Answer: C) Rhubarb

🍠 Rhubarb: The Versatile Vegetable Behind Your Favorite Spring Desserts

Rhubarb: The Versatile Vegetable Perfect for Sweet and Savory Dishes

Despite its common use in desserts like pies, jams, and coulis, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. This might surprise many who associate it with fruit-based dishes, but its classification is based on how it's harvested and its botanical characteristics. Unlike fruits, which are harvested without harming the plant, vegetables like rhubarb require pulling the entire stalk from the ground, leaving enough behind to ensure future growth.

Rhubarb is often misunderstood. It is seldom found at farmers' markets, though it’s a staple in grocery stores. This perennial vegetable thrives in colder climates, with the best varieties coming from Michigan and Oregon. In North Carolina, it appears only in specific cold pockets where the ground freezes sufficiently.

The leaves of rhubarb contain oxalic acid, making them poisonous, but the stems are perfectly safe and delicious. Its natural sourness, due to the oxalic acid, is not universally popular in the U.S., but it’s this unique tartness that makes rhubarb a versatile ingredient. It shines in both sweet and savory dishes, from pies to BBQ sauces.

Rhubarb’s peak season in the spring coincides with strawberries, leading to its frequent pairing in desserts. This combination is most famously seen in strawberry-rhubarb pie, where rhubarb's tartness complements the sweetness of strawberries, creating a balanced flavor profile. However, rhubarb can stand alone in desserts, offering a delightful balance of sweet and sour that many find refreshing.

At Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, the lattice-crust rhubarb pie, served with Homeland Creamery vanilla ice cream, is a seasonal favorite. The lattice crust not only adds visual appeal but also allows steam to escape, helping the filling thicken perfectly.

Whether enjoyed in a pie, a jam, or even a margarita, rhubarb's distinctive flavor and versatility make it a standout ingredient that deserves more appreciation.