Growing up in the Midwest, I was eating rhubarb pie from the moment I got off the bottle. Both of my grandmothers had their own secret recipes and would bring some pie to every family gathering. Once I left the nest and had to feed my own pie needs, I was disappointed to discover some of the most downright wretched rhubarb pies people were consuming! Maybe I had always taken my homemade pie experiences for granted, not knowing what these other folks had to put up with, but learned some secrets from my Nana’s old cooking and I haven’t let them go to waste.
1. Never, I repeat, NEVER use frozen commercial rhubarb out of the bag. If you have the space in your garden, grow your own small crop and you’ll get a ton of pies just from a couple plants. If you don’t have the luxury of your own garden (or the time to properly maintain it), go to a local market or organic supermarket and they will most likely have some hearty stalks that will do the trick. Of course, rhubarb isn’t growing all through the year, and, if you’re like me, you want rhubarb pie all year long. If you chop up a few batches at the end of summer and freeze them yourself in your own plastic bags, you’re much better off. If you do decide to use frozen rhubarb from the store, bear in mind, your pie will be runnier and not quite as tart so I would adjust by adding a little extra flour.
2. If your recipe doesn’t already call for a teaspoon of cinnamon and a big squeeze of lemon, add ‘em in. This is the subtle flavor difference between an amateur’s rhubarb pie and someone who has some old fashioned experience. I also like to add a sprinkle of nutmeg over the top of the crust, to add a little pizzazz to appearance and an extra punch of spice.
3. Don’t hesitate to try out some varieties to the original! My grandmother made an absolutely incredible rhubarb meringue pie that always knocked guests off their feet. The key to that type of pie, besides the precarious meringue peaking, was to puree the rhubarb blend first to get a sort of cream like filling. Another favorite variety of mine is raspberry rhubarb pie. Just enough sweet and tart to really quench anyone’s craving.
So next time you’re searching for something unique to serve for dessert with the family, try your hand at a classic rhubarb pie. You never know what little secrets you might pick up or what new varieties you’ll create and be able to pass down in your family. Just don’t forget to share!
