Friday, June 15, 2007

Rhubarb


Fog filtering the light this winter morning.

Stalks of rhubarb, beautiful but toxic leaves in tact.

For a compote, scented with a spoonful of rosewater and a pinch of ground ginger.

Flecked with tiny black vanilla seeds.

13 comments:

Anh said...

I love the photo of rhubarb!

Note to self: Go and buy some!

Johanna GGG said...

the colour is so beautiful that it seems like nature is so much more perfect than anything we can create - no wonder so many clothes are black and white and yet our food is full of vibrant colour :-)

Wendy said...

Stunning colours. :)

Rosa said...

So beautiful Lucy! The words and the picture.

Truffle said...

What a wonderful suggestion! I know I'm late but I wanted to say congratulations on the Sunday Age Mag. I was absolutely filled with delight when I saw you mentioned!

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Lucy, this is quite an inspirational post in its beauty and simplicity.

Cynthia said...

Lucy, I have never had rhubarb before but what you described in your post, I would love to have some :) It's a pity you are so far away. :)

Lucy said...

Anh, you must!

Johanna - nature always surprises me. Sometimes, when the light is just right, it really surprises you!

Ta, Wendy.

Thanks Rosa. Was pretty happy with that pink!

Truffle, you're lovely. Thanks. Hope people discovered you along the way too;-)

Susan, dear Susan, your rhubarb from last week was a gorgeous thing to behold.

Cynthia, it's a shame that this is a cold weather vegetable, sorry, fruit. The rosewater makes me swoon...

Susan said...

Fantastic saturation. So compelling, you can nearly forget the danger. I have never had rhubarb. It's not around here much. Every time I collect my courage to buy it, it's not around. Just how toxic are the leaves, do you know?

Christina said...

I love the idea of vanilla with rhubarb, a softening pillow of flavor against the sharp edges of the rhubarb. Great!

I wanted to tell you I made the ricotta this week, and it is wonderful. Thanks for encouraging me to experiment with it!

Lucy said...

Good question, Susan. Apparently the oxalic acid, something that is also present in most leafy greens like chard and spinach, is in such a concentrated dose in rhubarb leaves that there are reported cases of Brits during WWI dying as a result of eating them. Sounds like a horrible way to go...but the pink of the stalks is so unusual. She's a strange creature nature. Maybe you could try growing them? I know they like cold and frosty conditions.

Christina, it's a mouth puckering sweetness, isn't it? The vanilla pod is my favourite scent of all. So pleased you enjoyed the ricotta - so easy, but so very rewarding!

Nora B. said...

Lucy, I've been buying rhubarb every weekend since it came into season. I never get tired of it. I love to have the compote on plain yogurt.

IronEaters said...

wow..the color. Its beautiful!