Despite what strikes me as a too long, too hot and very dry summer, some of us – and it’s a miracle – still have rhubarb growing in the garden.
Others of us have already lopped the crop into recipe-size amounts and stuffed it in the freezer for future use.
So it’s rhubarb, really, that brings us to this letter from Everett cook and longtime Forum helper-outer Phyllis Henshaw. But first, she starts off with, “Thank you so much for publishing the replies to my inquiry about the coleslaw with pineapple and marshmallows.
“My first thought when Irene, my sister-in-law, asked if I had a recipe was just to mix pineapple and marshmallows with store-bought slaw. But then I figured, since the woman who originally made it wouldn’t share the recipe, it must have been homemade.
“It’s not nice to not share. I didn’t research all of my over 200 cookbooks, but did go through the ones I thought might have the recipe, and had no luck at all. So I’m glad to know that a lot of your readers did find it.
“Speaking of cookbooks, we had the pleasure of going through Port Gamble, where we stopped at the General Store at the end of town to have lunch. They carry a variety of gifts and souvenirs, and I found a cookbook titled ‘Good Ol’ Fashioned Rhubarb Recipes from Bremerton, WA’ by Shane Foraker.
“The owner of the store told me that it took the author six years to gather the recipes and have them published. This book contains 257 recipes for soups, salads, breads, juices, ices, puddings and fools, cakes, pies and preserves.
“I was so impressed with the book that, when we went through there again two months later, I bought another one to give my son for Father’s Day, since he has several rhubarb plants and loves rhubarb pie and cobbler.”
Winding up, Henshaw says, “Enclosed are two recipes I’ve made that came out very well. I had a bumper crop this year, thanks to laying on compost and my husband’s diligent watering during the dry weather.
“The leaves were big enough to hide behind, and the stalks were very thick and surprisingly tender. Five pounds are already in the freezer, and there are more stalks coming in every week.
“If you ever get any requests for rhubarb recipes, I would be happy to share any of them with your readers.”
Let’s start with the cobblecake today, about which she notes, “The crust came up very high – very good flavor.”
Rhubarb cobblecake
11/3cups sugar, divided
2tablespoons cornstarch
1/4teaspoon ground cloves
1/2cup orange juice
1/2cup butter or margarine, divided
1 1/2pounds rhubarb, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2cups sifted flour
3teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon salt
1cup milk
1tablespoon grated orange rind
Cream (optional)
Combine 1 cup of the sugar, cornstarch and cloves in large saucepan; stir in orange juice. Heat slowly, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the butter or margarine and rhubarb. Heat to boiling and spoon into an 8-cup baking dish. Sift flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup of the remaining sugar and salt into a large bowl; cut in remaining 6 tablespoons butter or margarine until mixture is crumbly. Add milk all at once; stir just until moist. (Dough will be soft.) Drop in 6 even mounds on top of rhubarb mixture. Mix remaining sugar and orange rind in a cup; sprinkle over biscuits. Bake in hot oven (425 degrees) for 25 minutes or until topping is puffed and golden.
Serve with cream, if you wish.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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