As a frequent shopper at farmers markets, I have my shopping kryptonite. You know, it’s the one produce you can never leave the market without it bouncing happily in your basket. My shopping kryptonite is rhubarb. Never mind that I am often clueless what to do with them. I made plenty of rhubarb dessert and preserves before. Yet every time I stare at the bunch of opalescent ruby stalks in my fridge, my culinary inspiration runs dry.
The rhubarb season this year caught me like love at first sight. Just looking at the elegant slender stalks put a smile on my face. I paired them with the first crop of juicy Ontario strawberries to make a jewel-like jam that sparkled in the sun. I made rhubarb crumble, a homely dessert that always brightens my day. As classic as these combinations are, I wanted something a little unusual. Entered David Lebovitz’s Ready For Dessert.
Last year I made a cherry cobbler from this cookbook that forever changed my idea of cobblers. It was a beauty! Rather than rounds of tender biscuits, the juicy fruit filling was topped with delicate almond cake made with plenty of delicious almond paste. I paired this unique cobbler topping with the fruit filling of another recipe, Rhubarb Raspberry Pineapple Crumble. I never would have thought of putting these three ingredients together but it was unbelievably, surprisingly delicious. The rhubarb was tart, the pineapple was syrupy sweet, and the raspberry added just the right touch of balance and colour in between. The rosy hue looked like it belonged on a lip gloss advertisement!
As you can expect, I did not make one large dessert like either recipe suggested. I filled six mini latte bowls for individual portions to share at a potluck dinner. The rest went into two small oval baking dishes. I adore the flexibility of such casual desserts. Unlike cakes or pastries, there is a laissez faire attitude about these easygoing treats. I think it was the perfect fit for my rhubarb love affair.
I used to think that rhubarb is only available for a fleeting time. Good thing that my favourite farmer corrected me. It is certainly the first sign of spring but they are harvested all through summer. It is only because we are distracted by other more flashy produce later in the season that we forget about our rhubarb fever. That’s a good thing because I intend to enjoy this unique cobbler a few more times this year!
