Rhubarb bunches for sale at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a species of plant in the family Polygonaceae. It is a herbaceous perennial growing from short, thick rhizomes. It produces large leaves that are somewhat triangular, with long fleshy petioles. and small flowers grouped in large compound leafy greenish-white to rose-red inflorescences. In culinary use, fresh raw petioles (leaf stalks) are crisp (similar to celery) with a strong, tart taste. Most commonly, the plant's leaf stalks are cooked with sugar and used in pies and other desserts. A number of varieties have been domesticated for human consumption, most of which are recognised as Rheum x hybridum by the Royal Horticultural Society. Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable. In the United States, however, a New York court decided in 1947 that since it was used in the United States as a fruit, it counted as a fruit for the purposes of regulations and duties. For cooking, the stalks are often cut into small pieces and stewed (boiled in water) with added sugar, until soft. Little water is added, as rhubarb stalks already contain a great deal of water. Rhubarb should be processed and stored in containers which are unaffected by residual acid content, such as glass or stainless steel. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are sometimes added. Stewed rhubarb or rhubarb sauce, like applesauce, is usually eaten cold. Pectin, or sugar with pectin, can be added to the mixture to make jams. A similar preparation thickened with cornstarch is used as filling for rhubarb pie, tarts, and crumbles. Sometimes stewed strawberries are mixed with the rhubarb in strawberry-rhubarb pie. This common use has led to the slang term for rhubarb, "pie plant", by which name it was more commonly known in the United States in the late 19th century. In her novella The First Four Years, American author Laura Ingalls Wilder refers to rhubarb as "pie plant". *** Description sourced from Wikipedia.
Size: 3866px × 2900px
Location: Old Strathcona Farmers' Market, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Photo credit: © Felix Choo / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: anthraquinones, emodin, glucorhein, glycosides, rhein
