January is the season for Yorkshire forced rhubarb and our local supermarket had some on the 'reduced for quick sale' counter. I picked up the rhubarb at once - my husband enjoys it, it was a bargain, I love red and coincidentally a soft cardigan I bought a day later in the January sales almost matched it. So I made a crumble at speed using the microwave.
I don't think that I would ever force our own rhubarb which is now beginning its second season in our back garden. Forcing is not recommended for newly established rhubarb and repeated forcings may weaken the plant. Our rhubarb, misled by the mild winter poked a few inches above the surface of the ground and then stopped as hail showers fell as forecast.
In the warm south, my husband brought me great thick stalks from a customer whose rhubarb seemed to thrive on neglect. I used to manhandle the cooking scissors to cut it into thick green chunks. On arrival here we planted ours in as close a position to hers as we could remember, and hope for the same results.
We polished off our crumble pretty quickly. Forced rhubarb is fine for a treat, or for those customers who can pay full price. It is tender, unlike our former customer's, and sweet. It doesn't go very far. I think I shall be waiting until midsummer for ours.
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