BREAZE

There is one thing that makes de-icing the windscreen, splitting wood for the fire and breaking the ice on the chooks water worthwhile – and that is rhubarb!  Topped with yoghurt for breakfast, or bubbling in a crumble for dinner, rhubarb it is the perfect antidote to the winter blues.  And for those home gardeners that didn’t quite get their autumn planting done on time (hmmm who would that be?), it could well be one of the few things coming out of your garden at the moment.

So, for those unfortunates that haven’t got a lot coming out of your garden, and are having to buy your fresh produce, the pick of Victoria’s winter produce, according to Environment Victoria, is:

Apples, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, jerusalem artichokes, kiwi fruit, leeks, lemons, lettuce, limes, mandarins (imperial), onions, oranges (navel), parsley, parsnips, pears, potatoes, rhubarb, silverbeet, snow peas, spinach, spring onion, turnips

If you want to do some of your own research, Market fresh produce a monthly report of what is coming through the Melbourne Markets, and in some instances where it is coming from.  This is a good way to get an idea of what produce is coming from Victoria and what isn’t.

http://www.marketfresh.com.au/producereport.asp

Rhubarb Cake:

Beat 60gr of butter with the 1 tspn of grated lemon rind, 1 ½ Cups Brown Sugar and 2 Eggs until light and fluffy.

Stir in 1 Cup of S.R.Flour ,1 Cup of Plain Flour, 1 tspn Cinnamon, 1 Cup Sour Cream and 500g Coarsely chopped Rhubarb.

Put mixture into 2 prepared 23cm cake tins: sprinkle with combined 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar and 1 tspn of Cinnamon.

180˚ for 1 ½ hrs.

Baked Rubarb with honey:

Pre-heat oven to 150^oc

Wash and chop up your rhubarb stems and make sure of a single layer on the roasting tray.

Drizzel with honey ( about 3 tablespoons)

Roast for 20 to 30 minutes until the rhubarb is tender. Cool before serving with ice cream or adding to your breakfast müsli and yoghurt!

Can be added to the apple and rhubarb crumble.

For those of you reading closely - Jill has rhubarb plants in pots and bits of root ready to go - they are all from the plant in the photo at the top of this page.  If you would like to add rhubarb to your vege garden - email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and arrange to pick some up!