The Fruits Of Spring

We’ve talked about the wonderful, fresh spring vegetables but we haven’t mentioned the fruits of the season, especially rhubarb and strawberries. The bright pink and red colors of these two can really perk up a meal and they co-star beautifully in many desserts. Recently, fresh strawberries have become available all year at a reasonable price. Rhubarb, on the other hand, is becoming harder to find and more expensive, which, for rhubarb, is nothing new.

In fact, only for the past few hundred years has rhubarb been considered “ordinary”. For over 3,000 years it was prized as a medicinal plant in China, and even found its way to Ancient Greece by the old Silk Road. However, its transportation was more costly than spices or gems. Marco Polo traced rhubarb’s origin and found the banks of the Volga River in Russia duplicated its growing conditions. So in the 15th century, rhubarb became available to Europe, though still pricy. In 1820 it was introduced to Massachusetts where it became a farm crop and in 1947 was designated as a fruit not a vegetable.

In the U.S. rhubarb has been taken for granted as a normal spring yield. When I was a kid, it was served stewed at breakfast every April. Occasionally, it was upgraded to a dessert ingredient. The past few decades of dietary awareness and table ready food have made rhubarb difficult to find and costlier because .it requires stewing time and sugar to be edible, both no-nos with today’s life-style. So unfortunately, it’s the old law of supply and demand. It was always limited seasonally and increasingly nowadays, it’s also limited to those who can get it locally.

However, rhubarb deserves another look. Its high fiber count and nutritional content are valuable nourishment sources. Sugar is the only ingredient used in cooking and most of that remains in the syrup, making its recipes healthier choices than many other options. I’m among rhubarb’s fans who find its flavor addictive and look forward to it every spring. A word of warning, always buy fresh rhubarb. It doesn’t can, nor does it freeze well. In fact, trying to cook it frozen was like working with a ball of grey twine, color, flavor and body were lost.

On the other hand, strawberries are well known and grown internationally. The fruit we see today is a hybrid developed in the 18th century from plants native to France, North America and Chile. The original “wild” versions can still be found in their native countries, I gathered them from a field near my home as a child, though France does cultivate its species. These berries are tiny, but incredibly sweet, a real treat should you encounter them.

Unlike rhubarb, strawberries can be canned, frozen even dried. They also have commercial value for their flavor, not only in food products, but in other things from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Still, they never taste better than when picked fresh, locally in season. Better yet, find a farm that lets you pick them. It’s a large savings to your wallet and huge boost for your taste buds.

Unlike rhubarb, strawberries are found canned, dried and frozen. My Mother was an expert at freezing foods, especially berries and her trick with strawberries was to wash them and dry them on towels, then “stand” them in rows on a waxed-paper lined cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, she packed them in plastic, or cleaned 10 oz. paper vegetable boxes, in two layers, the bottom stem end down and the second, separated by a sheet of plastic wrap, stem side up so they fit together. She didn’t hull them until ready for use. It helped them keep their shape and retain their juice. They were never bagged because contact with other frozen items could injure them. The bruised berries, she boiled with some sugar, water and cornstarch and froze to use as topping or fillings later. She never froze the fresh sliced berries steeped in sugar she made for shortcake.

Another note on using strawberries, try them in salads, both dinner ones with poultry and sides. They pair beautifully with nuts, onions even tomatoes in vinaigrette dressings.

It’s interesting that two plants with such diverse origins and histories, share the same growing season and color, and are so compatible in flavor that they are often combined in dishes to celebrate spring. Below are some more unusual recipes for these two great seasonal fruits.

Rhubarb Kutchen
¾ + 2 Tbs. flour 2-3 cups rhubarb in1 inch pieces
1 Tbs. sugar *Meringue*
¼ tsp. salt 2 egg whites
¼ cup butter 1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. chopped nuts 6 Tbs. sugar
1 egg yolk beaten lightly ½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg yolk 2 drips cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
¼ cup flour
Stir together the first 3 dry ingredients in column I. Cut in butter. Stir in nuts and lightly beaten egg yolk until well mixed. Press into the bottom of an 8 x 12 inch pan. Beat other egg yolk well, stir in next 2 ingredients, add rhubarb, and pour mixture into the pan… Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 45mins. Remove from oven, and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Meanwhile, have made *Meringue* by beating room temperature egg whites until soft peaks form, add vinegar and beat to incorporate, likewise with vanilla. Gradually add sugar and beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Spread Meringue over fruit, return to oven and bake until delicately brown-about 10 min. Serve at room temperature.

When you engage yourself in chatting or killing your time on all of http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/01/28/three-individuals-shot-at-south-aiken-high-school-basketball-game-suspect-at-large/ free viagra pill your decree medicines. Vitamin B 1 One of the most important thing you need is to sildenafil in india talk or communicate. Persistent heartburn, bile gastritis, and Barrett’s esophagus that increases the risk of the esophageal cancer. levitra on line sale Individuals with order cheap viagra CKD are at extremely high cardiovascular risk. Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie:
Crust for a covered pie
1 cup sugar
½ cup flour
2 pt. strawberries
1 lb. rhubarb – chopped
2 Tbs. butter
Gently toss sugar, flour and fruit together and let marinate 30 min. Line a 9 inch pie plate with one layer of crust. Pour filling into shell and dot with butter. Cover with second layer of crust with holes cut to vent steam. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven for 35 – 40 min until bubbly and brown.

Easy Berry Angel Cake
1 purchased pound cake
8 oz. tub of Whipped Topping
1pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest for a
few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2nd layer. Finish with 3rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.

Note A less formal way to serve this dessert is to slice the cake and optionally, toast the slices. Then spoon the berries over each slice and top with the whipped cream.
Angel Nests
These are a derivation of meringues. The basic rules apply in making them but those who make meringues will notice a slight difference in ingredients. Always remember that egg whites will not beat if there is even a trace of any other substance, including water but especially egg yolk, on the beaters or in the bowl. One tip: egg whites beat better at room temperature.
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 drops cider vinegar
½ tsp. flavoring
Cover a cookie sheet with waxed paper and trace a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Carefully separate the eggs. Put the whites in a clean, dry bowl. It might be wise to break them separately over another bowl, and transfer each white into the beating bowl. That way, if there’s a bit of yolk in the last white, you don’t have to start over. Beat until soft peaks form, still beating, add the vinegar, gradually pour in the sugar, and continue until glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. Add the flavoring, beat to mix.

Shape the batter on the template, using the back of a fork to raise the sides into nests. Bake at 250 degrees for 60 min. Leave in oven for 30 min. then cool on a wire rack. Store in a dry place until ready to use, up to a week. Fill centers with fresh fruit and serve with whipped cream, or topping, on the side. I would imagine these can be made in individual portions, and would be most attractive. Judging by the timing to cook basic meringues, I don’t think there would be much adjustment to the directions either. Something you might want to try.

Join us for more seasonal recipes next week—-