Evening star., 1901-04-30
Table and Kitchen.
Practical Suggestions About What to
Eat and How to Prepare Food.

belongs to the vegetables. AS it's food
value is very small it is esteemed more
for it's diuretic properties and agreeable
flavor.
While a native of Europe, it is little
known there as a food. it's uses being prin-
cipally medicinal. In, this country it is
more universally used for the table, though
We do not generally recognize it's possibil-
tiles in the way of supplying a great va
riety of appetizing dishes, as most of us
are familiar only with it in the form of
rhubarb pic or sauce.
It's whoiesomeness.
While some authorities consider 1t unfit
for food, there are others who advocate
its use. and. considering it's medical vir-
tues. deem it very worthy plant to add
to our list Of edible vegetables.
The objection to it's use lies in the fact
that it contains a large amount of oxalc
acid. and this acid is less wholesome than
the other fruit acids.
There are some conditions of the body in
which it is wise to avoid eating rhubarb or
it's kindreds, sorrel tomatoes or such
plants as abound in oxalic compounds;
therefore persons suffering from acidity
should eat of these substances very spar
ingly. and in some aggravated cases not
at all.
The red variety is the richest in flavor.
and should be used for making wine if YOU
desire a rich quality.
Rhubarb will make delicious wine.
which is said to so closely resemble cham
pagne as to deceive connoisseurs, and is a
much safer beverage to indulge in if you
wish to avoid unpleasant after effects. The
plant that is forced for the early spring
market is more tender, and contains much
less OXalic acid.
Prepared with rice dates or raisfns this
kind makes very suitable dish to serve
to the children. and will be beneficial to
them after, perhaps. a too protracted diet
of dry foods. 1t may also be eaten by those
who cannot indulge in the plant when it
mas Its acid qualities more fully developed.
In Continuation.
Rhubarb may be used as a basis for
many dainty preparations. and it's suscep-
tibifity to other flavors will enable you to
create pleasing varieties. Orange or lemon
peel, chopped almonds, raisns, bananas.
Strawberries and lemon juice may be used
to give agreeable changes
But when using lemon and other acid
ffitit juices, remember the conditions which
may make these combinations hurtfui to
those who should not indulge in too acid
foods.
In order to make rhubarb palatabe to
some eaters an excessive amount of sugar
must be used This gives the sweet acid
haVor they enjoy. Only the after results
can determine whether this is harmful for
the individual eater not. If nature die
tates' and not perverted and indulged
to our bodily needs and cravings for Ger
tain kinds of food.
Baked Rhubnrb.
This requires less sugar than stewing.
Peel the stalks, selecting red rhubarb. Cut
into inch lengths and place in a stone crock.
Add one part sugar to two parts of the
fruit, unless you like it very sweet. then
add nearly half and half; arrange the fruit
and sugar in layers; use no water. Stand
the crock in pan of hot water cover aud
set in the oven and bake until the pieces
are clear This may be used for a meringue
by hling shell of good light pastry, COW
erlng the top of the fruit with meringue
aud coloring delicate brown in the oven
Rhubarb Compete.
Cut red rhubarb into pieces three inches
long. Cover with cold water and set over
a moderate fire where it will very slowly
come to the boiling point, but do not allow
1t to boil Drain the water off carefully, or
take the rhubarb up on fork, keeping the
pieces whole. Measure the water and to
each pint add pound of granuiated sugar.
Boil until it becomes syrup. then pour
over the rhubarb. This is nice served with
plain boiled rice for a simple dessert.
Rhubarb Fritters.
Select the smaller stalks of tender fresh
rhubarb. Cut into pieces two inches long:
der; drain and spread on platter. Make
a syrup of sugar and water, favor with
little brandy. Pour this over the rhubarb
and let stand until perfectly cold. Drain off
syrup. dust the rhubarb thickly with gran
ulated sugar. Make fritter batter in
usual way, dip the pieces of rhubarb in the
batter and fry in deep hot fat.
Rhubarb SoufHe.
Pare and cut the rhubarb into small
burning and pound of sugar to each
quart of rhubarb. Stew until tender then
press through sieve. Measure your rhu-
barb and to each pint take three eggs; sep
arate and beat the yolks very, very light,
and add to the rhubarb. Mix well. then
whip the whites to a stiff froth and fold
into the mixture Throw into Il well-but-
tered dish and bake in a quick oven about
half hour. When it cracks open on top
it is done.
Rhubarb CobbIer.
Fill a deep, buttered. earthenware pie
dish with rhubarb cut into pieces an inch
long. Make a batter of eggs, flour milk
and salt allowing a large tablespoonful Of
-four to each egg and milk enough to make
batter thick as for fritter batter Pour
this over the rhubarb and bake until the
pudding is light and nicely Drowned.
Rhubarb TapiOca.
Prepare the rhubarb as for stewing, place
in a deep baking dish and add sugar enough
TO sweeten well. little shredded orange
peel salt and dot with bits of butter. Add
one quart of water to half cupful of fine
tapioca. Add a pinch of salt and cook in a
double boiler for fifteen minutes Then pour
over the rhubarb, cover the dish and bake
half an hour. Serve with sweetened
whipped cream
Rhubarb Cream Pie.
One cupful of rhubarb chopped fine or
erated one cupful of sugar, a pinch of salt
a grating of nutmeg or lemon peel. Mois-
ten tablespoonful of cornstarch with Il
Tablespoonful of cold water; then fill the
cup up with boiling water stirring until
clear. Beat the yolks of three eggs until
light, and add them, with the cornstarch
to the other materials. Line a pie plate
with good light paste, fill with the mixture
and bake in a moderately hot oven until
custard is set. When done and cooled
cover with meringue made with the
whites of the eggs and half a cupful of
confectoner's sugar. Brown delicately in
the oven.
Rhubarb SIierbet.
Wash the stalks and cut into pieces one
inch long. To dozen stalks add three
pints of cold water. Cook in double boil