Sean is obsessed with rhubarb. He won’t even let me put strawberries or cherries with it. It has to be alone.
I don’t remember the first time Sean had rhubarb, but it must have been at my house. I don’t imagine many Mexican homes having a lot of rhubarb. In the Pennsylvania Dutch home, however, it is synonymous with pie. That is why it is also called pie plant. Although very tart tasting right out of the ground, when cooked down with a little sugar, rhubarb is quite delicious. I think anyone could like it. It doesn’t have a strange flavor at all, so I find it odd when people say they don’t like it. Of course when I hear “I don’t like that,” what I really hear is “I could like it if you would just make it for me.” This inevitably leads me into all kinds of trouble between me and Sean, where I cook up the offending food in every tasty manner possible, and insist he try it. And you know what? It usually works, but he is pretty easy. (I am still working on coconut flakes.)
I can remember saying I didn’t like green olives, and then I had them in Spain. I remember saying I didin’t like collards, and then I bought some and cooked them for a brief period of time. I didn’t like brussels sprouts either, until I had them roasted! Here is my philosophy on this matter: if there are entire cultures of people enjoying the food you loathe, do you really think they are the crazy ones? The trick is to try, try, try again.
What foods do you love to hate???
Easy Rhubarb Jam
6 cups or 2 pounds of rhubarb, chopped fine (remember to remove the leaves as they are very poisonous!)
2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Juice from half of a big lemon
Zest from half a lemon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Stir all the ingredient together in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. Liquid will seep from the rhubarb.
Transfer the contents of the bowl to a big pot. Turn on the heat to medium and allow to simmer stirring occasionally, until it has thickened like the picture above. Don’t wander, this will happen quickly. Pour into jars. (I usually do not can things because I am lazy, so just throw these in the refrigerator after they have cooled. It will last quite a while in there.)