ingredient: rhubarb

I recently discovered another fabulous farmer's market here in Atlanta. It's the Buford Highway Farmer's Market, which is much closer to my apartment than DeKalb and still has a great selection of produce. And, there places are open year-round, everyday - so fantastic! My aunt Gail and I went for the first time and found so many crazy ingredients that I can add to my list to cook with. Here is a jackfruit:

I had way too much fun there. I will eventually buy one of those and cook with it, but we will save that for a later date.

This week's ingredient is rhubarb.

Rhubarb is a bit more common than most items on my list although I haven't cooked with it before. I'm sure somewhere along the way I've tried someone's pie with rhubarb but thought it was time to try it myself. It is, after all, a very pretty color.

I went with a savory and sweet option. First, I tried a Pork Tenderloin with a Spiced Rhubarb Chutney from BeingABear.com. I'm usually a big fan of a sweet sauce, especially with a pork dish. I made this recipe 'as is' except substituted cranberries for cherries as that is what I had on hand. I really enjoyed this dish although it is super sweet. I would do a bit more spice with it to balance it out. In terms of flavor though, it was really good. It would have been amazing on a biscuit! So, yes, I really liked it, but be prepared for the sweetness. Here is how it turned out:

Second, I tried Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins from A Pretty Life (www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com) which were so, so yummy. I will say that this is a bit "unhealthy" from the way I usually cook. Don't get me wrong - they were/are so delightful. But, even with a whole wheat flour substitution, I still think you could do add a few more substitutes and make this a bit healthier. I left off the pecan streusel topping, and I would even add more rhubarb and strawberry as the combination was great. Here is a pic for you ... although it doesn't quite do them justice:

I really liked the rhubarb in both places although I do think it's better fitting for a sweet treat. I will definitely cook with it again and hope you try it too!