Rhubarb, rhubarb!

This week at the farmers' market there were a couple of stalls selling this season's fresh rhubarb. I love it when it first comes in and because the weather was so warm last weekend the sticks were a beautiful bright red colour so I bought enough to make myself a rhubarb crumble. Yesterday I stewed the fruit to make the crumble but it was such a pretty flourescent pink colour that I decided to let it cool and I had some last night with a large dollop of creme fraiche and it was absolutely delicious. A lot of people don't like it because it is a bit sharp if not selected and cooked properly and they don't realise how versatile it is either. I love it stewed, in a crumble or pie, as a fool or made into jam. The man from Cheddar was there too with the first fresh strawberries which he grows under polythene and because they were picked the day before they were full of flavour. He said the outdoor plants would be fruiting in about four weeks and I can't wait for them. Now that the weather is warming up we will soon be seeing fresh salads, carrots and beans etc. and the local asparagus will be harvested in a week or so. Then Eden and I will be able to have some with some salmon, hollandaise sauce and local baby new potatoes because it's one of her favourite meals.