Evening star., 1902-04-29
Table and Kitchen.
Properties of Rhubarb, the Early Pie
Fruit.

| Fruit
! The common species of rhubarb, the
| rheum Thaponticum, which is variously
| known as pie-plant, wine-plant and monk
| rhubarb, is used as fruit. though in
| reality it is vegetable, or rather the stalk
| or petiolc of the leaf. The particular value
| of this common variety is not as many
suppose, on account of its medical prop
| critics. The root of the rheum palmatum
| called turkey rhubarb, is the variety used
| for medical purposes. This is procured by
| the Russians at Kiachita, from the Chinese
The chief recommendation for the COM
| mon garden varieties is the very early ap-
| pearance in the spring even in the northern
latitudes. 1t comes long before any other
| native fruits, and at time when there is a
| desire for something sour" which seems
] the natural outcome of the diet of rich
| meats, heavy sweets and general feasting
which is the common order of the winter
season.
Its Acid Taste.
| The sour taste of the rhubarb is due to
oXalic acid, or rather to acid oxalate of
potash. This is found in sorrel and to
slight extent in tomatoes. This acid is
less wholesome than other fruit acids, and
| the rhubarb, like the sorrel, should not be
eaten alone on account Of this strong acid.
In fact while rhubarb is most agreeable
on account of its tartness, there are some
conditions of the body the oxalic-acid dia-
thess) in which rhubarb, sorrel or plants
in which oxalic compounds predominant
are liable to have injurious effects.
There Is less than an ounce of solid mat
ter in pound of rhubarb; the chief nu-
TRENT is sugar (glucose), which gives about
two parts in a hundred of the fresh-cut
leaf stalks of the red variety grown in the
| a nyofi iS fhnr Pnrn fnv
| the actual amount of nutrient that
| prize this plant, but more because of its
| pleasant flavor and refreshing taste. 1t is
| made into tarts and desserts in many ways
but its most popular use has been in pies
and stewed for a sauce.
1t Is nice accompaniment to rice, and
this combination makes most suitable
| dish for children. 1t makes a delicious
| jelly and wine.
Baked Rhubarb.
This is very rice way of preparing it.
| Wash, peel and cut the stalks into inch
| pieces Put it in a baking dish in layers
sprinking each layer with sugar, thin
| shavings of yellow rind of lemon and gin
| ger. Add just enough water to cover, or a
| cup of water to pound of rhubarb. Cover
| the dish with a plate or earthen dish (do
| not use TIM and bake in the oven until
| tender.
Stewed Rhubarb.
Peel the stalks and cut them into three
| inch pieces Boil a few strips of orange
| peel in enough water to cover the rhubarb
| for a few minutes. Remove the peel and
add enough sugar to make a good syrup;
drop in the rhubarb and stew gently until
clear and tender. Do not cook all at once,
but layer at a time. When all is cooked,
pour the syrup over 1t and let get cold.
Rhubarb Butter.
Wash, peel and chop the rhubarb fine and
to each pound allow a pound of sugar Let
cook gently for an hour or more, according
to age of the rhubarb.
Rhubarb Jelly.
Take eight pounds of nice ripe rhubarb of
the red variety, wash and cut into con-
venient lengths. Put into a stone jar or
deep baking dish with the thin yellow shaw
ings of yellow rind of three lemons. Cover
the vessel and place in a moderate oven
and let the rhubarb cook tender. Strain
the juice from the fruit, add the strained
juice of three lemons. Boil for half an
hour. Then strain through jelly bag and
measure. To each cupful of juice allow one
and one-fourth cupfuls of granuated sugar
| heated in the oven. Stir until the sugar is
dissolved, then let it boil until it will jelly
when dropped on a saucer, skim carefully
while boiling. When done, pour into glasses,
filling them almost to overlooking, as jelly
shrinks in cooling. When cold cover with
paraffin paper and keep in a dry, cool, dark
place.
Rhubarb Cream.
Take two pounds of the green rhubarb
which has been peeled and cut into small
pieces; put into saucepan with three cups
of water and cook until it is soft enough
to mash into a pulp; strain through fine
sieve and measure; to every pint of fruit
add a pound of sugar and stir over the
fire until sugar is dissolved, then boil for
twenty minutes. Put an ounce of gelatine
to soak IN cupful of cold cream and when
soft dissolve over hot water. Let it cool
and when the rhubarb syrup is cool add the
cream and juice of one lemon, stirring con-
stantly, and turn into glass or eartheh
mold and place in a cold place to set for at
least two hours. Serve with whipped cream
or compete of figs, prunes or oranges.
Rhubarb Pie.
Stew the rhubarb as for sauce, add the
beaten yolk of egg; two level table
spoonfuls of butter; rubbed with one ta-
blespoonful of flour and stirred in while
rhubarb is hot Bake in one large crust or
in little tartlet pans; cover with meringue
made with white of the egg and four table
spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Set in the
oven to harden, but not brown the me-
ringue.
Rhubarb Shortcake.
Make rich biscuit dough and spread IT
an inch thick on buttered pie tins and bake
in quick oven. When done, split open;
butter and spread with baked rhubarb.
Serve with sugar and cream.
Rhubarb Lemonade
Peel and stew green rhubarb in plenty
of water to cover, adding very little
sugar ond lemon juice. When the rhu-
barb is tender strain off the sirup and
when cold it is ready to use. A few large
| raisins cooked with the rhubarb will i'm
prove the flavor. The pulp may be used
| with addition of little more lemon Juice
| gelatine and juice of stewed prunes to
| make jelly mold with the whole prunes
Rhubarb Pudding.
Line buttered basin with a good suet
crust; wash, wipe and cut up four stalks
of rhubarb into small pieces; put this
| in the crust in LAYERS with sugar and q