This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Is a Springtime Delight (2024)

FAQs

Where is strawberry rhubarb pie most popular? ›

Sumner, Washington describes itself as the "Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World." It is unknown exactly when the city gained this description, although it has been in use since at least the 1930s.

History of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Its slightly sour taste makes it a little odd to be eaten on its own, but when paired with strawberries and baked, it's just delicious! Originating in Europe (Germany and UK), the rhubarb pie was introduced to the United States in the late 18th century.

Rhubarb, when mixed with strawberries, gives you that sourness to balance the sweetness and the complexity.

The reason rhubarb pie gets so runny is that rhubarb is 95% liquid, which puts it near the top of watery fruits and vegetables alongside things like melon and cabbage.

Apple pie is arguably one of the most popular pie flavors. A symbol of America, the apple pie was actually invented by the British.

Sumner, Washington – Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World.

When it comes to cooking and baking, rhubarb is so versatile. But you don't need to heat your rhubarb to enjoy it. So if you're wondering can you eat rhubarb raw?, the answer is you bet!

The ancient Chinese used it as a medicinal herb over 5,000 years ago. Native to southern Siberia, it got its name from the Russians who grew it along the Rha river (now the Volga). For centuries it was traded alongside tea as a cure for stomach aches and fevers.

Folklore credits Benjamin Franklin with bringing rhubarb to America in the late 1700s. However, it wasn't until the late 18th or early 19th century that Great Britain and the United States started using it for culinary purposes.

Most varieties can be harvested from late April or May, while early varieties can be picked from March or April. Although the stems remain edible and tasty through to mid-summer, it's best to stop harvesting in June, or at least only take a few after then, so you don't weaken the plant.

Why can't you eat too much rhubarb? ›

Rhubarb is high in calcium oxalate. While the substance is mainly in the leaves, it's also found in the stalks. Too much calcium oxalate in your diet may lead to hyperoxaluria, which is the buildup of oxalate crystals in different organs.

Sennoside A and other dianthrone derivatives are reported to be the active ingredients causing rhubarb's laxative effect (6). They are metabolized by β-glucosidase of enterobacterial origin and are converted into rhein anthrone, which produces the purgative activity.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven. The layer will absorb moisture and prevent the filling from turning the crust soggy.

Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.

There's nothing quite like strawberry rhubarb pie. Sugar and strawberries counter the rhubarb's inherent tartness, melding to create a pie filling that's perfectly balanced and tastes like summer in every bite. With a no-cook filling, this pie comes together quickly and with ease.

It was always more popular in Britain and the U.S. than elsewhere but rhubarb also achieved noteworthy popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Culinary uses also spread to northern Europe. At its most popular commercial quantities of rhubarb were grown outdoors as well as in greenhouses and dark cellars.

The clear winner for the United States as a whole was (not surprisingly) apple pie with more than 27% of sales going to the traditional flavor.

LUMBERTON — Rhubarb pie is not in the recipe books of Southern cooks. My history with growing and cooking rhubarb goes back to the Midwest, where many farms had patches of the stuff.