Prior to leaving Minnesota this past week, my sister Melissa packed one of my suitcases full of Rhubarb. This plant has always been a favorite with Norwegians and represents one of the first plants the sprout in the Spring.
Rhubarb is a very old plant. Its medicinal uses go back to 2700 BC when it was cultivated in China. It was not introduced into Europe until the 1600's. A planting of rhubarb is recorded in Italy in 1608 and 20-30 years later in Europe. In 1778 rhubarb is recorded as a food plant in Europe. The earliest known usage of rhubarb as a food appeared as a filling for tarts & pies.
In making my Rhubarb sauce, I use a simple sugar recipe which consists of two cups of water to one of sugar. Use a large pan, and then bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Then, in a slow simmer, add about three cups plus of coarsely chopped rhubarb and simmer until the rhubarb has collapsed into a mass of stringy goop. If you are looking for a little more coloration, I would suggest adding strawberries into the mix, too.
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