Rhubarb is tough. Today it thrives in Siberia, Canada, Alaska, Michigan, and Maine, none of which is noted for climates for the faint-hearted. Like eggplant and bitter melon, rhubarb was first adopted by the Chinese as a medicine: ancient Chinese and, later, Greeks and Romans all used the dried roots as a laxative.
The Romans may have imported theirs from Russia. During the medieval period, it was imported into Europe from Asia via the Silk Road; upon arrival, it cost even more than such pricey substances as cinnamon, saffron, and opium. Nobody considered actually eating rhubarb for another several centuries—and perhaps sensibly so, since the leaves are poisonous and the raw red or green stalks are sour enough to set teeth on edge. The chemical villain in rhubarb leaves is oxalic acid, a compound also found in Swiss chard, spinach, beets, peanuts, chocolate, and tea.
At least one death was reported in the literature, an event that rhubarb has yet to live down. Oxalic acid does its dirty work by binding to calcium ions and yanking them out of circulation.
In the worst-case scenario, it removes enough essential calcium from the blood to be lethal; in lesser amounts, it forms insoluble calcium oxalate, which can end up in the kidneys as kidney stones.
People first bought into rhubarb as a food plant in the early s, when British plant breeder Joseph Myatt discovered that—diced, stewed, and laced with lots of sugar—sour rhubarb stalks could be rendered scrumptious. For would-be growers, Victoria rhubarb is still available. Rhubarb cookery was soon all the rage, with a proliferation of recipes that included rhubarb tarts, compotes, fools , cakes, custards, jams, jellies, and wine.
Like celery, the rhubarb stalk is actually a petiole, a chunky, beefed-up version of the skinny sub-stem that connects a leaf to its parent branch.
Richter's great-grandfather went west from Minnesota during the Gold Rush, but he missed the boat on that opportunity and instead started a family farm growing rhubarb and other crops in the late s. The farm has been passed down through the generations, and Richter's son now also helps run the farm. They kind of like the moist, mild climate, and that's what you've got in Washington, specifically western Washington," says Richter.
The stalks start to turn quite green. Not all rhubarb tastes or looks the same. Two different varieties of rhubarb compete on the market: field rhubarb and forced also known as hothouse rhubarb. As the name implies, field rhubarb comes straight from the field. As field rhubarb becomes exposed to outdoor light, it can have a greener tinge and a slightly stringier texture when you crack open the stalk, according to Richter.
Hothouse, on the other hand, requires a more deliberate, careful growing process, which entails depriving the rhubarb of light inside a hothouse in order to better draw out its natural red hue. The only time that the rhubarb becomes exposed to indoor lighting is during the harvesting process. Richter explains the careful work that goes into raising hothouse rhubarb:. Richter explains that due to the lack of light exposure, the hothouse rhubarb leaves often turn "bright yellow" and the stalks turn into a "brilliant red" color.
These unusual colors and the delicate growing process means that hothouse commands a premium price compared to field rhubarb. I don't want to say one's better than the other. They're different. Outside the U. They're especially known for the traditional practice of harvesting rhubarb by candlelight to keep the stalks tender.
The popularity of American-grown rhubarb has fallen in recent decades since its heyday in the s and '70s, according to Richter. With so much international produce coming in from across the world, it can be hard for the hearty red plant to compete in the global market.
Plus, most recipes require the rhubarb to be cooked, which can make it less appealing than ready-to-eat produce. Rhubarb was kind of the first group on the market, so to speak. It was a big thing," says Richter. Recipes included. It was like an oven in there. Now I wonder if the canned food is safe Jeanne Brandt Jul Featured question.
Glenda Hyde Jul Featured question. The toll-free hotline, , runs from 9 a. Chris Branam Jul 8, News story. Freezer failure can mean the loss of all or part of a large investment in food, time, and money. It pays to know what to do if your equipment stops working. This article helps you decide what can be saved and what needs to be thrown out.
New microbiologist at Food Innovation Center aims to create a food safety culture. I recently got a can of tomatoes from a food pantry. It was noticeably swollen on both ends. When I punctured it with a can-opener, the juice sprayed 2 feet up in the air. I have never had an experience like this Jeanne Brandt Feb Featured question.
Preventing and recognizing food poisoning. Includes a chart with types of foodborne illnesses. Publication includes a table with recommended storage times for frozen foods. Publication describes common problems and solutions when canning fruit and tomatoes. Aug 13, News story. Oxalic acid is the compound present in rhubarb leaves that can cause poisoning to occur. The National Institutes of Health reports that anthraquinone glycosides may also be found in the leaves of the rhubarb plant, and they can be toxic as well.
Eating rhubarb leaves will cause you to ingest these poisons and can cause a variety of symptoms and unwanted side effects. Consuming too much oxalic acid can be fatal, although death from it is incredibly rare, c. You would have to consume a very large amount of rhubarb leaves for death to become a threat. More likely, you will experience a range of uncomfortable symptoms, including a burning sensation in your mouth and throat, as well as difficulty breathing.
You may also experience diarrhea, eye pain, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, weakness and urine that is red in color.
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