Seasonal Sundays: Reveling in Rhubarb (Week 19)

Hey all, grab a cup of coffee and let me tempt us all with a whole bundle of rhubarb recipes from this lifelong-lover of rhubarb. Pies? Of course. Muffins and cakes? Naturally. But there are a few surprises too, recipes that highlight rhubarb's distinctive color (anyone see a resemblance between rhubarb and Kitchen Parade's color theme?) and coveted "rhubarb sour". Will you find a "keeper" or two or three right here today? Here's hoping!

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

~ PIN This ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

THANK YOU for stopping in today ... and last week and next week too. "I appreciate you." I do ... and always love hearing from many of you throughout the week. (And wow, I so noticed some extra comments this week. They give me such a lift. 😍 😍 😍 ) Don't be a stranger!

It's been a hard week (hell week, I'm calling it) but hey, at least it's finally over and at least there's rhubarb in the fridge and some time today, it's gonna be paired up with sugar and ... hmmm ... I'm not sure what else quite yet.

Time-wise, it's a good month early for home-grown rhubarb in northern climes, including my home state of Minnesota but for the rest of us, there are farmers markets and grocery stores. At least here in my now-home of St. Louis, there's locally grown rhubarb which means s-o-m-e-b-o-d-y is successfully growing rhubarb nearby, me I've had zero luck despite multiple tries.

And when the stores fail to deliver (sold out?!), well, I'm left with memories of our mom sitting my sister and me down on the backstep of the house with spears of rhubarb and small bowls of sugar, dip and bite, dip and bite. Last I knew, there's still a small rhubarb plant right next to that step, despite facing north, despite getting zero sun, despite my dad's numerous Round-up sprays, despite me digging up to attempt transplanting in our own back garden.

Maybe rhubarb is the perfect antidote for survival hard weeks.

Happy Rhubarb, All!

In Praise Of ...

• ... the young dad who helped me find the non-alcoholic shelves at Total Wine & More (look for locations in 28 states and still-growing), giving so many personal references because "my wife and I had a baby last year" and while she wasn't drinking alcohol, he wasn't either


• ... soooooo many non-alcoholic options at Total Wine (only 1 at Trader Joe's, only 1 beer at our largest local St. Louis grocery store, Schnucks), that same young dad said that his particular store started with two shelving units in January (hello, Dry January, perhaps?) but are up to five in just a few months, thanks to both demand and a steady supply of fun new products ... the cocktails are a bit pricey but fun ... so far we're so-so on the old-fashioneds but I'm in love with the palomas


• ... and once you find the ones you love, drink up because a large can (12 ounces?) is only 20 to 50 calories ... is 2024 going to be a N/A summer, maybe just maybe but it won't be my first, I've been on the hunt for Thirst-Quenching, Low-Cal, Low-Alcohol Drinks for 15 years

Democracy Matters

The country needs calm, thoughtful and assertive voices amid the chaos inflicted by a minority hellbent on taking/retaining generational power by strangling democratic principles and equal rights. None of us have to personally change the world. We just have to do our part. Pick one thing for the top of your To Do List this week.

Jess Piper moved from my "feed" into my "favorites" this week, with this piece about how we needn't project what will happen during a second god-forbid Trump administration. We only need to look at what's happening in Red States, in this case, my own state of Missouri.

Here's the piece that prompted the move, The Billionaires Didn't Need to Write Project 2025, they could have just pointed to states like Missouri where we are already running the pilot...

Here's an example. After Dobbs, Missouri was one of the first states to roll back reproductive rights for women, including, get this, that a pregnant woman may not get a divorce. Arrrgh.

But there's a citizen's action group that has gathered TWICE the number of signatures to put an abortion rights on the ballot in November, one that would amend the Missouri constitution. Excellent!

The GOP reaction? Change the rules, switching from a state-wide majority (which will likely win) to a majority in at least three of five Missouri Congressional districts (which likely wouldn't, thanks to the more liberal cities of Kansas City and St. Louis). Arrgh. (More on this, Missouri and South Dakota Move Toward Abortion Rights Ballot Questions, from the NYT, no paywall)

The Words of Wise Women

• Who else looks forward to Saturday mornings? I do and not just because it feels so good to tackle all the stuff that didn't get done during the week. (I even start a fresh Weekend To-Do List!) But Saturdays are Saturdays in part thanks to two podcasts that release Dark Early.
• That's #SistersinLaw (fun, yes? it's four women lawyers, Barb McQuade, Joyce Vance, Jill Wine-Banks and Kimberly Atkins-Stohr) and Amicus (with the briliant Dahlia Lithwick).
• This week, #SistersinLaw was broadcast live in Chicago and everyone's favorite part section comes at the end, listener (and in this case, audience) questions.
• This question knocked me over. "What would you be talking about if we weren't talking about Trump and abortion?" Seriously! They were ALL eager to jump in spontaneously. Just think about all the wasted time and attention, ever since 2015 when Trump first walked down that golden staircase.
• Here were their quick answers ...
• "... homelessness, climate change, immigration, artificial, gerrymandering, criminal justice reform, voting rights ..."

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THE SEASONAL SEVEN: Reveling in ... Rhubarb!

For this week's recipes, I aimed for recipes that raise up low-brow rhubarb to the culinary status it so deserves so look for ...

• ... the iconic rhubarb colors, red and pink both
• ... make-it-now recipes or make-it-a-project later in the week
• ... familiar takes (smoothies, muffins, cake) to magical pairings (cheesecake, upside-down cake)

• THE RECIPE Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothies Spring's favorite couple in a glass.
• ANOTHER TAKE Roasted Rhubarb Rhubarb cooked until just soft in the oven. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Rhubarb Muffins Whole grain, less sweet.
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Make Rhubarb Jam & Rhubarb Jelly Make both in an hour!

• THE RECIPE Rhubarb Cake Simple and rustic, less sweet to taste rhubarb's wonderful "sour". (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler A simple dessert that sings of spring. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Sweet Rhubarb Pizza A surprising take on pizza with a cookie dough "crust" and streusel "cheese". (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Rhubarb Pudding Cake Hits somewhere between cake and crumble.

• THE RECIPE Rhubarb Curd Gorgeous color with definite notes of "rhubarb sour".
• ANOTHER TAKE Rhubarb Sorbet So simple, so surprising! Just four ingredients.

• THE RECIPE Upside-Down Rhubarb Cheesecake Layers of sour rhubarb and creamy cheesecake in a simple pie or ramekins.
• ANOTHER TAKE Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake Move over, pineapple. Rhubarb's the new kid in town.

• THE RECIPE Perfect All-Rhubarb Pie A summer masterpiece. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Rhubarb Custard Pie A rustic, country pie, my first and forever favorite rhubarb pie. (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE COLLECTION Rhubarb Recipes Favorite recipes from a life-long rhubarb lover, that's me, Alanna!
• SO USEFUL! All Kitchen Parade Recipes Organized by Ingredient

May: Reader Favorites

• THE RECIPE Finnish Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake A real celebration cake. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Chocolate Cream Puffs Stuffed with Strawberries & Cream Chocolate, strawberries and cream, just two bites big.

May: Lost Recipes

• THE RECIPE Easy Margarita Pie Tastes just like a good margarita!
• ANOTHER TAKE Mexican Mango Trifle (Ante de Mango) Layers of bread and mango pudding, studded with sherry-soaked raisins.

The Kitchen Parade Almanac: Looking Ahead ...

• May 5 (today!) - Cinco de Mayo
• May 12 - Mother's Day & Wear the Hat, Dammit: A Mother's Day Essay
• May 27 - Memorial Day
• June 1 - Alanna's Unofficial First Day of Summer (although this year, oh my, summer "arrived" on May 1)

• THE COLLECTION Mother's Day Seasonal recipes to celebrate moms and all who mother.
• AND ANOTHER Father's Day Seasonal recipes to celebrate dads and all who father.

Looking Back ...

THIS WEEK, YEARS PAST
• 2020 Early May (Week 19), another 2020 time capsule, "And so the virus divides us again ..."
• 2021 Rest in Peace (Week 19)
• 2022 Cinco de Mayo (Week 19)
• 2023 Strawberry Season (Week 19) (PIN This)

RECENT WEEKS
• Cinco de Mayo @ Home (Week 18) (PIN This)
• Plant-Based Recipes for Earth Day (Week 17) (PIN This)
• Cooking for One or Two During Spring (Week 16) (PIN This)
• Easy Dinners for a Busy Week (Week 13) (PIN This)

Good to Know!

• THE RECIPE How to Microwave Asparagus Definitely quick, definitely easy and definitely delicious. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave A spring classic, cooked fresh and whole. (PIN This)

A Quick Peek Into a Real-Life Kitchen

Just so you know, everything's not all pretty pictures around here, in the background is a pile of dirty dishes. And just like many (all?) of us, come five o'clock, I too draw a blank about what to make for supper, despite so many recipes I so dearly love. Here's a quick peek from this week.

• THIS WEEK Regular readers know how much we love our subscription to Sitka Seafood Market. But over time, salmon would stack up on the fish shelf in the freezer. No more! This is my go-to supper when I don't want to cook but know we need a healthy meal. So good!
• THE RECIPE Easy-Easy Broiled Salmon with Olive Salad Just three ingredients, on the table in 20 minutes. (PIN This)

Something to Read

Wow. Fascinating. Stunning. Revealing. A great read / listen.

We all've read Huck Finn, yes?> Well, just imagine the Mark Twain classic written from the perspective of the character we know as "Jim" ... but is revealed as "James," an enslaved person with agency.

• THE BOOK James (affiliate link) by Percival Everett


• NO TIME TO READ? How I Read 4X More This Year Than Last What I gave up, how I read so much, what I read.

Don't Be a Stranger ...

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail (my current address is in the FAQs), dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, tuck a question into a plastic Easter egg, whatever.

• Any advice for Seasonal Sundays?
• Just one thing that would make it more useful for you?
• Anything else? Chime in, chat away.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. When you make my recipes, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below or better still, on the specific recipe's page.

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