Spring/Summer Vegetables and Fruits

Rhubarb!! Really, what is Rhubarb?  Technically it is a vegetable, however, its mostly treated as a fruit.  The only edible part is the stalk, never eat the leaves, they are toxic!  It’s also VERY sour, so you can’t really eat it raw.  It absolutely needs to be cooked with other fruits and/or sweeteners. Many people grow it right in their yards, but it is readily available at the grocery store and a farmers markets in the spring and early summer.  Once you bring it home, unless you are going to use it right away, you’ll need to store it.  How do you store it?  Wrap the stalks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.  I chose to freeze mine, that way I can have a bit of summer in the middle of the winter. When buying Rhubarb you want to look for firm, unblemished stalks that don’t show any signs of drying.  Don’t let color fool you, just because it isn’t bright pink or red, doesn’t mean it is ripe; rhubarb can be any where from pale green to a deep red, it all depends on the variety.