It is so obvious!
There's the green haze in the trees, the busy birds but also......fresh rhubarb!
I like spring and I love rhubarb so needless to say I am happy.
Rhubarb recipes have been gathering in my notebook for a while now so high time to go through them and mix, match, add and be creative with new ideas.
New energy, new recipes, a new spring.
Rhubarb is well known for the sweeter recipes so I wanted to try a savoury dish to see how that would work out.
Now I have always liked the combination of rhubarb and carrots, something I discovered by chance.
Both were cooking on the stove and when I tried both to see if they were done........voila.....a good combination indeed.
What better way to combine vegetables than in a soup,( especially when you really like soup like me!),
a spring has sprung soup!
But first some other (surprising) uses for rhubarb:
Cleaning pots and pans
Use Rhubarb to clean your pots and pans (no joke!) If your pots and pans are burnt, fear not! An application of rhubarb over the afflicted area will bring back the shine in next to no time. Environmentally friendly too!
Hair Color
This is a fairly strong dye that can create a more golden hair color for persons whose hair is blond or light brown. Simmer 3 tbsp. of rhubarb root in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes, set aside overnight, and strain. Test on a few strands to determine the effect, then pour through the hair for a rinse.
Insecticide
Rhubarb leaves can be used to make an effective organic insecticide for any of the leaf eating insects (cabbage caterpillars, aphids, peach and cherry slug etc).
Recipe 1
- Basically you boil up a few pounds of rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for about 15 or 20 minutes,
- allow to cool,
- then strain the liquid into a suitable container.
- Dissolve some soap flakes in this liquid and use it to spray against aphids.
Recipe 2
- Shred 1.5 kg (3 lbs.) rhubarb leaves
- and boil in 3.5 liters (1 gallon) of water for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool and then strain. (use old utensils if you can - the rhubarb will stain most things and poison the rest.
- In a small saucepan heat to boiling point 2.5 litters (2.5 quarts) of water and mix in 125 g (4 oz) of softened soap ends (any bits of soap left in the shower).
- Allow to cool (stirring regularly to make sure all the soap is dissolved).
- Add to the strained leaf mixture, stir vigorously, and the spray directly onto infested leaves.
Paintings
James Grainger, is a British artist who specializes in oil paintings of Vicars and Morris Dancers in curious and surreal situations. Many of his paintings include rhubarb, as can be seen in the sample to the right. Be sure to visit his web page: James Grainger's Gallery
Source: http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/other
Sounds very interesting but for now I am going to use this first batch of fresh rhubarb for my favorite rhubarb use.......cooking (and eating of course)
Spring carrot-rhubarb soup
Ingredients:
| Directions:
Delicious with warm bread! |
Next I'll be trying out a new recipe for a well spiced fruit sauce........can't wait ;)
To finish up this week's blog a very appropriate song!
To finish up this week's blog a very appropriate song!
The Rhubarb Tart Song
1. I want another slice of rhubarb tart. I want another lovely slice. I'm not disparaging the blueberry pie But rhubarb tart is oh so very nice. A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A whatbarb tart? A rhubarb tart! I want another slice of rhubarb tart! 2. The principles of modern philosophy Were postulated by Descartes. Discarding everything he wasn't certain of He said 'I think therefore I am a rhubarb tart.' A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A Rene who? Rene Descartes! Poor nut he thought he was a rhubarb tart! | 3. Read all the existentialist philosophers, Like Schopenhauer and Jean-Paul Sartre. Even Martin Heidegger agrees on one thing: Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart. A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart! A Jean-Paul who? A Jean-Paul Sartre! Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart. 4. A rhubarb tart has fascinated all the poets. Especially the immortal bard. He caused Richard the Third to call on Bosworth Field: 'My kingdom for a slice of rhubarb tart!' A rhubarb what? A rhubarb bard! Immortal what? Immortal tart! As rhymes go that is really pretty bard! John Cleese |