diving into rhubarb

headfirst.  That's what I've been doing this year.  Rhubarb was one of the first things I planted when I moved into my house in 2001.  Some years I'm into it and some years not as much.  2009 has been one of those years I've really been into it.  You may remember it started with the rhubarb muffins?  Now it's progressed to Rhubarb Strawberry Sauce!  I think the cool weather has prolonged its growing season?  My one plant (pretty substantial in size after eight years) is still going strong, the stalks remain firm and not pithy so I'm going to hang with it and keep harvesting.  Over the 4th of July weekend, I connected with another friend who also likes it and we decided to can some of the sauce to enjoy this winter (or give as gifts).  If you'd like to try your hand at doing the same, the most time consuming thing about it is the chopping.   Our recipe is as follows:

3 cups Rhubarb, 3 cups Strawberries and 2/3rds Cup Sugar with a smidge of water dashed in.  That's it!  Here it is all chopped and simmering:

 

We actually doubled that recipe and came out with ten (8 oz) jars of sauce which we divided:

 

I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint my friends with the showing of this photo as they were kidding me about coming up with some fancy decorative label for the jars.  Obviously, I haven't bothered to make even the simplest label!  At the rate it's being consumed I'm wondering if label making is even warranted?  Making the sauce has instigated quite a few biscuit making sessions as well.  I mean, what could be more mouth-watering than a warm homemade biscuit with fresh rhubarb sauce piled on top?  Here is a pan of biscuits having their tops pricked prior to be popped in the oven: 

 

Which by the way, begs the question of do you prick your biscuits??  I always do but it might be mostly for sentimental reasons than anything else.  It gives me a chance to use my handmade biscuit pricker carved by my dear granddaddy.  The truth is, I really have no clue why people prick their biscuits but going there will get us off on a whole other tangent and I really want to get back to the sauce.  Here's what we had with our breakfast yesterday morning:

 

and that my friends is why we are eating the sauce almost as fast as I can make it.  We like almost as much sauce as biscuit!  After all this eating, I need to get out myself out in the garden and work a little of it off! 

Comments

[Marnie]

Rhubarb is one of my favorites too. Isn't it funny, that is one fruit you never see available in the stores.

I have a pie recipe to die for so I freeze my rhubarb and save it for the pie.
Marnie

[Gail]

Dear Kathleen, I wish I could say that I prick my homemade biscuits, but then, I don't make biscuits. Poor Mr I; he would adore these biscuits and the jam! The hand carved biscuit pricker is charming....if I had one I might be tempted to try making biscuits! gail

[Shady Gardener]

YUM! That looks wonderful! (Our rhubarb is finished for the season.)

I made a similar refrigerator Strawberry Jam the other day (from Martha Stewart, on-line).

I've never pricked my biscuits. But, if I had something special like that - I would! :-)

[Janet]

Oh man that looks gooooooddd!!! I have been making strawberry rhubarb cobbler this summer. (easier than pie-- no crust. :-D )

[Catherine/gardenerprogress]

Yum! That look so delicious, especially on the biscuit. I didn't know to prick biscuits, maybe because I never make them :) I'd want to use the handmade pricker too if I had one!

[Tatyana]

I wish I lived closer to you, Kathleen... Drooling....

[keewee]

I keep talking about planting rhubarb, so it is about time I did something about it, although I think I am going to have to wait now until early next spring.

[Sweet Bay]

Yum. I have never successfully made really good homemade biscuits, but my husband's grandmother sure could. There's nothing better.

We can't grow rhubarb here -- it's too hot -- I'll have to try that with strawberries...

[Racquel]

My grandparents use to make Rhubard pie. It wasn't on my top ten list but they enjoyed it. :)

[Lola]

Yum. I love the stuff. I'm trying to grow it here. I have it in a pot for now. Must make a bed for it soon. Cobblers are awesome.