Rhubarb: It’s More Than What Meets the Pie
by Kathleen Reale
When most people think of Rhubarb, they automatically think of pie… Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie, that is. However, this early spring arriver has a lot more to offer than what meets the “pie”. Those on a gluten-free diet and with food allergies will find that many desserts that use rhubarb can easily be converted into gluten and allergen free treats.
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable. It leaves, which are poisonous, should never be used. Most often rhubarb is used in pies, crumbles and tarts – but it can also be used in relishes, chutneys and salsas to add a tartness that most other vegetables and fruits lack.
Rhubarb is also good for you since it is a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.
Some fun facts about rhubarb include:
How Barbaric!: The Chinese first cultivated rhubarb in 2700 B.C. The word rhubarb comes from the Latin rhabarbarum "root of the barbarians" because the Romans believed people who ate it to be barbaric in nature.
Pie Plant: Rhubarb's nickname is the "pie plant" because that is the primary use for this vegetable.
Medicinal Dessert?: Rhubarb was ground into powder and used medicinally in Europe for centuries before cooks started including it in desserts in the late 1700’s.
How sweet it is: It is commonly said that the redder the stalk, the sweeter the pie.
Scurvy Cure?: President Andrew Jackson often recommended the eating of rhubarb roots for protection against scurvy. He was probably correct as the root is loaded with vitamins.
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