Rhubarb - do you love it or hate it?

[Yorky]

Bought in Thailand.

Rhubarb pie (tinned rhubarb I think).

 

[Hemulen]

I have never tasted or seen rhubarb. I have no logical explanation other than my father HATES it for reasons unknown to me so we weren't even allowed to say the word growing up. I guess it just slips my mind unless someone mentions it. I should probably try it at least once. I will probably never buy it in the store but will look for it on restaurant menus whenever we open back up around here.

I really love rhubarb. It might be that your dad has tasted raw rhubarb which is incredibly sour and contains oxalic acid. That's nothing to be afraid of: the oxalic acid of raw rhubarb stalks is unhealthy in just enormous amounts. The large and wavy leaves should always be discarded as they are high in acid and a bit poisonous. They are never intact if rhubarb is sold in grocery stores or supermarkets, (often frozen in pieces). Anyhow, rhubarb is very common here in Finland and most kids have eaten raw rhubarb stalks straight from the vegetable garden or dipped them into sugar - and only a few have got a bit of a tummy ache. People who suffer from gout or intestinal problems should be careful with rhubarb. It's good to accompany rhubarb with dairy products to neutralize the acid. When cooked and sugared, rhubarb tastes unique, mild, soft and very pleasant. It goes well e.g. in a kissel (a few stalks of chopped rhubarb cooked in 500 ml water, sugared to taste and thickened with potato starch) or in sweet pies accompanied with berries. In the Middle East rhubarb is used in savory meat dishes. In Northern Europe people consider rhubarb an ingredient for sweet treats. The color of rhubarb stalks varies from green to dark purple or deep red (as seen in Yorky's pic). The stalks - even individual stalks - vary in color and can be picked at any state of maturity.

Photo source.

 

[mjd]

I really love rhubarb. It might be that your dad has tasted raw rhubarb which is incredibly sour and contains oxalic acid. That's nothing to be afraid of: the oxalic acid of raw rhubarb stalks is unhealthy in just enormous amounts. The large and wavy leaves should always be discarded as they are high in acid and a bit poisonous. They are never intact if rhubarb is sold in grocery stores or supermarkets, (often frozen in pieces). Anyhow, rhubarb is very common here in Finland and most kids have eaten raw rhubarb stalks straight from the vegetable garden or dipped them into sugar - and only a few have got a bit of a tummy ache. People who suffer from gout or intestinal problems should be careful with rhubarb. It's good to accompany rhubarb with dairy products to neutralize the acid. When cooked and sugared, rhubarb tastes unique, mild, soft and very pleasant. It goes well e.g. in a kissel (a few stalks of chopped rhubarb cooked in 500 ml water, sugared to taste and thickened with potato starch) or in sweet pies accompanied with berries. In the Middle East rhubarb is used in savory meat dishes. In Northern Europe people consider rhubarb an ingredient for sweet treats. The color of rhubarb stalks varies from green to dark purple or deep red (as seen in Yorky's pic). The stalks - even individual stalks - vary in color and can be picked at any state of maturity.

View attachment 48642
Photo source.

I have no clue as to why my father hates it. It could be that my grandmother (single mother) was poor and could only afford certain foods. I know several people that absolutely refuse to eat certain foods they had to eat as kids. A good friend HATES beets because she had them almost every day with whatever her mother prepared. I know another one that won't touch pork chops because her mother didn't make them well.

Our dad was in the military before he married and had us so we went to ethnic restaurants so he could teach us about other ethnicities/cultures. There aren't many foods that I will absolutely NOT eat. Well, I am severely allergic to shellfish so all of that is off the table, but, I honestly cannot think of anything else I won't touch.

Wow. You explained that very well! The kids eating the sugared pieces sounds familiar. I remember my father getting us stalks of sugar cane as a treat. We weren't allowed candy and such the way our cousins and neighborhood kids were. It felt like we were being deprived at the time but I appreciated that healthy early beginning and credit it for how I've survived health problems that probably would have done me in.

I called a local restaurant to see if they serve it and they don't. ;-( That's the only place here that might have it (small town USA). I'm going to keep looking. You've encouraged me to give it a whirl! That photo...I want to just eat that right now!

P.S. I love this forum. You all are so nice, informative and encouraging!

 

[mjd]

I can't find it at my local WalMart but they sell strawberry rhubarb yogurt. I've added it to my grocery list.

 

[caseydog]

UPDATE: I still hate it.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

I love it, but not everyone in my family does, so there's no point in me buying fresh as it would go off before it was all used. Rhubarb and custard is about my favourite - I use tinned rhubarb for that.

It freezes well. In fact I have some in the freezer, which is giving me ideas for the current recipe challenge.

I have never tasted or seen rhubarb.

I hope you do try it. Its sour. Adding sugar balances that but it remains sour. Maybe a bit like grapefruit (but not really as grapefruit is more bitter than sour).

 

[Hemulen]

It freezes well. In fact I have some in the freezer, which is giving me ideas for the current recipe challenge.

I hope you do try it. Its sour. Adding sugar balances that but it remains sour. Maybe a bit like grapefruit (but not really as grapefruit is more bitter than sour).

I bought some rhubarb juice today and drank a glass of it a moment ago. We've had this brand in the fridge many times - and their passion fruit juice, too. Both are lovely in the summer with ice. Just ice . I tried to compare the taste with other fruit - and as other members, I found a pinch of grapefruit and ginger. There is an exotic, perfume-like hue in rhubarb, too, so I'd describe the flavor as a combination of (slightly unripe) passion fruit and ginger.

 

[Yorky]

Bought in Thailand.

Rhubarb pie (tinned rhubarb I think).

View attachment 48640

Of course, it needed custard.....

 

[mjd]

I checked a couple of stores near me and they don't carry rhubarb or the strawberry and rhubarb yogurt. I'm going to keep looking when I'm out and about.