Rhubarb

Forced rhubarb! This is grown in dark sheds, which produces a sweeter stalk than rhubarb grown in the sun.

Rhubarb is long, crisp, watery stalks, similar to celery, that are red to green in colour and have a sour, tart flavour. They are stalks with leaves at the top, however the leaves are inedible. The longer the plant is left to mature before harvested, the more red the stalk gets and the sweeter the flavour that develops. Rhubarb is generally ready for harvest in Ontario in late spring. 

Rhubarb is a root vegetable that is usually used as a fruit in culinary applications. It is classically paired with strawberries. It can be eaten fresh, or can be stewed down, juiced, made into preserves, or baked into fillings, puddings, or baked goods. Rhubarb can be kept in the fridge or can be canned or chopped and frozen for longer storage in the off-season months.

The origins of Rhubarb is unknown, however present day varieties were developed in England and Scandanavia. It can be cultivated in gardens and can be found growing wild throughout Ontario. Rhubarb, if sustainably harvested, grows back year after year, and is a member of the buckwheat family.