Seasonal Sunday: Rhubarb

We’re a bit late to the party – National Rhubarb Pie Day was celebrated on Sunday, June 9th this year! Lucky for us, our favorite spring vegetable, rhubarb, is still in season. This post kicks off our Seasonal Sunday series, which will zoom in on one in-season vegetable each week. We’ll give you a brief history, some fun facts, and a few ideas for how to eat it! Let’s get started.

A rhubarb plant in early spring growing new stalks.
Image by Karolina Grabowska

About Rhubarb:

  • Originally from China, the first records of rhubarb are dated to 2700 B.C. It’s believed to have been initially cultivated for medicinal purposes.
  • In 1837 our leafy friend became all the rage in 19th century England, thanks to a new variety, named Victoria Rhubarb after the queen.
  • “Forced Rhubarb” – a growing technique that produces sweeter, more tender stalks, by growing crowns inside with limited light – was also popularized in 19th century England.  
  • Though often considered a fruit because of its frequent appearance in dessert recipes, Rhubarb is technically a vegetable.
  • Only the red stalks are safe to ingest! Rhubarb’s big green leaves are high in oxalic acid.  
  • Rhubarb stalks are high in fiber, vitamin C, B-Complex vitamins, and many other beneficial components.
  • One study has even indicated that rhubarb consumption can protect against Alzheimer’s Disease!
  • Rhubarb is a perennial, which means once you plant a crown, it will come back year after year. Envious of your neighbors’ beautiful Rhubarb patch? Ask if you can take a clump – it’s easy to propagate in the early spring or late fall.
  • Apparently you can even use Rhubarb to lighten your hair – bring on the summer highlights!
Cut rhubarb stems piled on a table at a farmers' market.

Suggested Recipes:

What’s your favorite way to prepare Rhubarb? Let us know in the comments.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Recent Posts

March 2024 Letter

March is always an interesting time in Colorado. Spring starts to tease us with its elusive warmth and the passing of the Spring Equinox, but that is coupled with frequent snow storms and a ski season still in full swing. This March we’ve been balancing the changing...

Slowly Savoring Colorado Wines

Growing up in the Columbia River Valley of Washington state, my parents tended beautiful flower & vegetable gardens while my dad foraged and made fruit based wines. Stopping by a winery for a picnic on our drive back from camping or other adventures was so common...

February 2024 Letter

February has come, and nearly gone, with lots of exciting updates here at the Denver chapter of Slow Food. We awarded four new Snail of Approval establishments, welcomed new board members to our organization, hosted two private celebrations, and more!  Last month we...

January 2024 Letter

  We’ve been hard at work to bring so many exciting things to fruition, which we couldn’t be more thrilled about. The changing of the year has brought a new staff member, new Snail of Approval awardees, the launching of a brand new program, and more. In the first...

A Positive Take on Social Media

Many have chosen to take a break from social media with the start of the new year – an effort worth commending. We’ve all fallen victim to doom scrolling and lost minutes or even hours of our lives to the black hole that the internet can become. While there are...

December Letter: Entering the New Year

It’s upon us, a new year in the form of 2024. The changing of the year can bring so many different reactions and emotions. As a team, our sincerest hope is that the coming year brings joy and opportunity for you and your loved ones. However, we acknowledge that...