Rhubarb & Strawberries

May 1999 – Rhubarb was a staple item back home when I was growing up. We had a big rhubarb patch out under the plum tree, which provided rhubarb through the spring and summer. So I took it for granted – when you were in the mood for rhubarb crunch you could just go and pick the rhubarb, as much as you needed.

And then I moved to Toronto, and found that rhubarb wasn’t a staple item after all. On occasion there would be a few wilted stalks in the corner of the produce section in the grocery store. So I had to wait until I went home to Manitoba for a visit to get my rhubarb “fix”.

When I moved into a house, the first thing I did was start a small garden and the first thing I planted in that garden was my very own rhubarb patch. So now rhubarb is once again a staple item, and rhubarb muffins for Saturday breakfast are the norm.

Rhubarb is great on its own in recipes, but it also teams up beautifully with strawberries. A rhubarb strawberry pie is a sure taste of spring – even if you have taken it out of the freezer and are enjoying it in the middle of winter.

So here are lots of rhubarb alone recipes, some rhubarb and strawberry recipes, and a few strawberries alone recipes too – for good measure.

Enjoy a taste of spring!

Rhubarb Crunch

Rhubarb Crunch

Rhubarb fruit filling baked between layers of oatmeal crumble mixture.

Rhubarb Muffins

Rhubarb Muffins

Easy rhubarb muffins with brown sugar and cinnamon topping.

Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake

Rhubarb Streusel Coffee Cake

Tasty coffee cake with a rhubarb filling. The streusel topping is made easy with reserved crumble from the cake batter.

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

Rhubarb Jam

A can of crushed pineapple and strawberry jelly powder make this jam really tasty.

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

In classic upside down cake method, rhubarb is arranged in syrup in a cake pan and topped with batter. After baking, turn the cake out and the pretty arrangement of rhubarb is now on top.

Rhubarb Platz

Rhubarb Platz

It may have a funny name, but this coffee cake is delicious – at coffee time or as a dessert served with ice cream.

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

Apple Rhubarb Pie

Two pie favorites – apple and rhubarb – combined into one tasty pie!

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

Make this in the spring when the rhubarb is in season, or use frozen rhubarb anytime for a taste of spring when you need it.

Whole Wheat Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

Strawberries and Cream

Delicious fresh local strawberries just need a dollop of cream to create a simple yet elegant dessert.