Rhubarb
Origin / Growing regions
Rhubarb originally came from East Asia, where it was used a medicinal plant thou-sands of years ago. The “root of the barbarians” – as its Latin name is translated – did not come to Europe until the mid-16th century. Its robust character makes it a very popular home garden plant.
Description
A member of the Polygonaceae family, rhubarb is not classified botani-cally as a fruit, but rather as an herbaceous vegetable.
Rhubarb
Fruit
Rhubarb bushes have thick, fleshy, intertwining roots. The most commonly available forms have fleshy, red stalks. They have a milder flavour and contain less fructose and oxalic acid than varieties with green stalks.
Flavour
Only the fleshy stalks are used. These should not be consumed raw, as their oxalic acid content is very high. Rhubarb has a refreshing, fruity, slightly tart flavour. It is often processed into compote or preserves and is a popular topping for cakes and pies.