what shall I do with the three rather large sticks of rhubarb my fil has given me?

[lucysmam]

Please bear in mind that there is only me who will eat it in the house so any suggestions must be freezeable...

tyvm in advance

[ComtessedeFrouFrou]

Rhubarb schnapps!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

We have a cherry vodka (from teeny bird cherries) about to happen. Happy days!

[mawbroon]

Rhubarb fool is my fave. My parents get about 60lbs off their plants each year, so quite a lot comes my way!!

[MoonlightandRoses]

It's also really good in place of pineapple in an upside-down cake. And, if you can get hold of some, a very small dash of rosewater with the rhubarb when cooking it really brings out the flavours nicely.

[K8Middleton]

Eat it raw with sugar. Yummy.

Otherwise, macerated and stirred into a fool or Eton Mess, or put in clafoutis instead of cherries.

Or cut it into chunks, halve and cook in a pan with butter and sugar to make caramel and put in an almond flan instead of pears. There's a good pear flan in the recipes section you could adapt.

[HazeltheMcWitch]

OOh, rhubarb and vanilla jam?

[HarrietSchulenberg]

Was about to post about rhubarb and vanilla or rhubarb and ginger jams but been beaten to it. Good recipes are out there on t'internet and supereasy to make.

If plant is strong and healthy just harvest sparingly in first year. Next year onwards you'll get more.

And be prepared: it literally disappears in the autumn and early winter. I had no idea and thought my plants had died, but no! Up they popped again in Jan/Feb.

[Wuldric]

The first year thing is right - honestly, tempting though it is, do not harvest rhubarb in the first year. Here's a useful link.

[OhTiger]

thanks for that Wuldric I'll resist.

[mrsdinklage]

Rhubarb vodka and I think I'll go and get a plant too

[XBenedict]

Made a rather nice rhubarb cocktail last night, would highly recommend making a rhubarb syrup which can then be added to a little fizz (alcoholic or non) to make a very nice refreshing summery drink.

[Laquila]

I made a delicious rhubarb and custard cake a couple of weeks ago - it was from the BBC recipes site.

Or, you could cook it down to a compote with sugar and maybe a bit of orange juice, ginger and/or cinnamon, and then strain off the syrup to make an amazing sugar syrup for cocktails. Delicious in a mojito!

[XBenedict]

Oh no, didn't know about the first year advice. Might harvest a little more sparingly from now although we have loads!!

[Wuldric]

I learned the hard way :( Harvested sparingly the first year. The plants never saw a second year. I'm starting again though because I love a bit of rhubarb!

[EeyoreIsh]

mmmmm rhubarb. I love rhubarb. I'd compote it and eat cold on its own.


Thanks for the advice about not harvesting in the first year. I'm going to grow some on our new allotment and hadn't realised this.