I asked Mick to pop to the allotment last night to pull some rhubarb so that I could make a crumble for my mum and dad. I've made them a cottage pie for their dinner tonight and I thought a nice rhubarb crumble would be just the thing for afters. I'm trying to get some goodness in to my Mum as she's very weak at the moment and doesn't feel much like eating. This is what he brought back.
I can see a lot of rhubarb recipes in my future. At least a bit of it has already been used up and Mick's taken some to work to share amongst his staff.
It's a good job that rhubarb pie and rhubarb crumble is my dad's favourite, he won't tire of it.
I just pick a handful of stems every few days. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'd have done.
DeleteOh i adore rhubarb crumble! Feels like forever since i've had it :) Another one for the (very long) To DO list :)
ReplyDeletexx
Crumble is my favourite way to eat rhubarb, though I've seen quite a few recipes I intend trying, it's just as well I've got plenty.
DeleteWe're eating a lot of rhubarb crumble too - I've also made cordial from Hugh F-W's River Cottage book - delicious!!
ReplyDeleteI never thought about cordial, that would be interesting to try.
Deleteoooohhh that sounds yummy! I've heard that you can make wine with it too :) xx
DeleteI once dabbled in wine making but only from kits. I think rhubarb wine sounds lovely.
DeleteThat is definitely a bumper bundle of rhubarb. We usually come back with about half a dozen sticks at most. Will you stew some and freeze it?
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely going to stew some to freeze. I only made the one crumble this morning as I was in a bit of a rush cooking for my mum and dad and I'd got to get Eleanor to school in time for her exam too but I shall get some more crumbles made as well for the freezer over the next couple of days.
DeleteThat is a lot of rhubarb! I hope that your mom starts to feel better soon. Nothing lifts ones spirits more than some lovely home cooked food made by those that care about you - not only food for the body but also for the soul.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right. I think this type of food is proper comfort food too, it's what I enjoy eating when I'm not feeling 100%.
DeleteMe neither.....I love rhubarb. just stewed with Greek yoghurt is fabulous.
ReplyDeletePoor Mum. I understand Jo, my mother eats very little these days and is incredibly weak.
She looks like a breath of fresh air will blow her away.
I am sure your love and care will help her through this time.......
My mum and dad often had stewed rhubarb and custard when it grew in their garden, I must admit that I do prefer mine with crumble. Both my mum and dad's health has declined at such a fast pace over the last couple of years, it's hard to comrehend it sometimes as they've both been so active. They were both avid bowlers, my dad is still managing to bowl, but my mum's had to give it up. She's enjoyed going to watch until recently and now she isn't even doing that, it's hard to see. I'm just glad that they moved from their house in to an apartment before their ill health struck as it would have been so hard to keep up with a family home when they're like this.
DeleteThere's nothing like a cottage pie and a fruit crumble and custard to tempt the appetite when one feels poorly especially when it's made by someone else who cares. I'm so sorry to hear about your parents' poor health and hope that they both gain some strength, especially your Mum. Take care yourself, Jo.
DeleteI think comfort food definitely helps when you don't feel up to par. I'm sure my mum will feel much better once she starts eating a bit better again, I'm doing my best to tempt her.
DeleteI love rhubarb, but it's a seasonal crop which never taste the same other times of the year, it has to be fresh out of the garden as well. Hope you can see an improvement in your mum xxxx
ReplyDeleteI never buy rhubarb, the only time I eat it is when I harvest it myself. I'm hoping that my mum will feel a bit better once she gets her appetite back.
Deletewhich reminds me we planted rhubarb, havent even been down to look at it :/
ReplyDeleteWe were lucky, we inherited some very productive plants when we took on the new plot. There's still loads more to come even after this lot.
DeleteYou must have despaired when Mick brought in all that rhubarb. I hope you told him off!
ReplyDeleteGood to know you can pass them on to eager friends.
I've let him off, it will all get eaten, we don't like waste. There were some very happy people at his work today.
DeleteJust wanted to say you made me very hungry with that post! :-)
ReplyDeleteA rhubarb crumble can always tempt me.
DeleteDelicious, I'm very envious. I had such a paltry handful of weak little stems. I really must sort out the rhubarb. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteThey're very hungry plants and like to be fed well, in return you'll be fed well too.
DeleteHey Jo,
ReplyDeleteI love rhubarb. My husband would have done the same as yours ;)
Leanne xx
Mick had no interest in gardening before I got an allotment but I've been training him up since, I obviously haven't done a very good job.
DeleteI like it when the juice of the rhubarb comes up into the crumble topping and makes nice gooey and crispy bits!
ReplyDeleteI like those bits too, we all fight for crispy bits in our house.
DeleteOh yum! A girl can NEVER have too much rhubarb! I hope your parents enjoy it, and that your mum recovers her strength soon. Your home-cooked meals should do the trick!xxx
ReplyDeleteYou're right, none will go to waste. My mum and dad enjoyed their meal last night, I'm really pleased that she managed to eat.
DeleteWow, you are set for rhubarb! It is wonderful though isn't it. I am sure that your good home cooking will help your Mum to get better and a sweet treat will help her along the way too, especially with home grown rhubarb to enjoy! xx
ReplyDeleteI know and there's more to come yet. A sweet treat always helps me to feel better so I'm hoping it does the trick with my mum.
DeleteOh well he did his best Jo and I'm sure that the surplus won't go to waste :) Despite being the first day of June it's just the weather for shepherd's pie followed by crumble ........ mmmmmmm ........ if there any leftovers send them this way please.
ReplyDeleteAt least he's learnt something by his mistake but you're right, none will go to waste. I'm pleased to report that there was very little food left over which means my mum ate well.
DeleteI brought a rhubarb plant last year as I also love rhubarb crumble however I'm not entirely sure what to do with it or when to pick it? :-/
ReplyDeleteIt's rhubarb season now in the UK so this is the time for the stems to be pulled. Wait until they're at least 10 inches long and don't cut them, just gently pull and twist at the same time. Saying that, I wouldn't harvest any this year if you only planted it last year, I'd give it another year to establish itself otherwise you run the risk of weakening the plant. When you do come to harvest, don't take too many stalks as you need to leave some otherwise the plant will die.
DeleteI do love rhubarb crumble...never made it into a pie though...hhmmmmm...thoughts for the future!!
ReplyDeleteThe two things I make the most with rhubarb is crumble and pie. Crumble is my very favourite though.
DeleteThis sounds familiar! I remember my dad bringing in a sheaf of carrots when my mum asked for one. He couldn't resist the hunter-gatherer bit.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your mum's health. I only have my dad left and he is very frail. My mum died when I was in my early 30s, and I often wonder what it would have been like if she had been alive to see my children grow up. I'm glad you've had your mum for so long. Although it's sad to see parents decline it's also good to know that you're caring for them and making them feel cherished down to the little things like a fruit crumble to tempt them to eat.
I should have known really when I sent him, If I ask him to prune something he ends up chopping it down. I know I'm lucky to still have both my parents, they're both in their 80's now so their decline is inevitable but still hard to see. I cherish every minute I have with them.
DeleteRhubarb crumble and custard -- can't beat it, Jo. Here, rhubarb and strawberry pie is a favorite. I have a very productive rhubarb plant and haven't been able to keep up with it this year. It's started to go to seed already. Prayers for your mother's improved health coming your way. P. x
ReplyDeleteI've often heard about rhubarb paired with strawberry, I've never actually tried it so I shall have to give it a go. Thank you.
DeleteLooks good, I've started freezing some now. I love crumble & custard I hope your mum was able to eat some of it x
ReplyDeleteI shall be freezing some of this, I don't want it to go to waste. My mum enjoyed what she ate, I'm pleased she's managing to eat a little more now.
Deletehello jo,
ReplyDeletethat is a lot of rhubarb.your rhubarb crumble looks delicious. i harvested a lot of rhubarb,too and made a rhubarb cake, compote and a apple-rhubarb jelly. with the peels of the rhubarb have i made a cordial,it taste in the summer months wonderful.i freeze a lot of rhubarb,today.
have a nice week,
regina
You've certainly been very productive with your rhubarb. I love that you haven't even wasted the peelings, that's brilliant.
DeleteI just LOVE rhubarb and plan to be making a crumble at the weekend. I can remember an old neighbour of mine who had a huge plot and in the middle he had one of those rhubarb bells that he would leave just for me to come into the garden and pull the rhubarb, as long as he had some of the crumble too :-)
ReplyDeleteI think that's a good exchange. One of my old plot neighbours had a huge patch of rhubarb but it never got pulled as his family didn't like it, I wondered why he bothered growing it.
DeleteI've only made crumble so far this year but last we made a rhubarb sorbet. It was a wonderful pink colour and was absolutely delicious.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds nice. I must admit that I've never been very adventurous with rhubarb, pies and crumbles are as far as I've gone but I really fancy trying something different.
DeleteLovley fat looking rhubarb. Do hope your Mum is soon feeling well. You know that you can stew rhubarb and then freeze it. I used to do that when up at our old place here, then use some on my porridge of a morning. I've also got a great rhubarb cake recipe. Hope the plot is coming along and take care.
ReplyDeleteMy mum's much better than she was, but still very weak. Some of this rhubarb is destined to be frozen, I shall be getting on with that today or tomorrow. The plot's coming along slowly, but we'll get there in the end.
DeleteYou can't beat some lovely rhubarb and reading about your mum reminded me ... we did the same (some years back now) when my dear mum had been poorly. Rhubarb was always a favourite of hers and growing up as a child we had a fine clump of it in our garden.
ReplyDeleteGood memories, as I read your post - thank you.
All the best Jan
The rhubarb crumble went down a treat with my mum and dad, it will be a regular on their menu whilst it's rhubarb season. I think it definitely helps get an appetite back when someone else is cooking for you, especially when it's comfort food.
DeleteHi Jo ... reading your rhubarb post made me look more into rhubarb - see here
Deletehttp://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/rhubarb-some-facts-plus-rhubarb-crisp.html
Many thanks for the idea
All the best Jan
That rhubarb crisp looks delicious. I wait each year for rhubarb season, I remember my grandparents growing it and then my dad grew it when he had a garden. It's been a constant in my life, even though I didn't like it as a child.
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