Rhubarb's story stretches well beyond the dessert table. Its roots were valued in parts of Asia long before the plant became familiar in European gardens. Over time, gardeners grew rhubarb for its edible stalks, and cooks found that its sharp flavor could become something quite different with a little sugar and heat.
Rhubarb later found a place in North American home gardens and kitchens. Its early-season stalks often appeared in pies, preserves, and compotes, sometimes paired with strawberries to balance their tartness. Despite its frequent appearance in sweets, rhubarb is a vegetable; it is the stalks, not the leaves, that are used in cooking.
National Rhubarb Month invites a closer look at an ingredient with a striking color and a flavor that refuses to be bland. A recipe can lean into its bright acidity or soften it into a comforting, spoonable dessert.
Celebrate National Rhubarb
Make a rhubarb compote for breakfast, try a traditional pie or crumble, or ask a gardener about growing and harvesting the plant. Swap family recipes and see how different cooks balance rhubarb's tartness with sweetness.
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