NG4 May/June 2021

In the Pink
I love rhubarb. As a kid I remember being given
a stick along with a cup of sugar and happily
dipping and munching my way through it.
Luckily for me it is very easy to grow and I
have two decent plants in the garden that are
already looking good with absolutely no eff ort
on my part.
Botanically rhubarb is a vegetable but the
beautiful pink stems are treated as a fruit. For
years I didn’t know what forced rhubarb was,
however now as a rhubarb farmer myself I
have discovered that it refers to rhubarb that
is grown in warm, dark conditions from late
December until the end of March. The stalks
grow up in the hope of fi nding light. This
variety is less fi brous than the outdoor variety
and has a more delicate fl avour.
I cannot wait to start harvesting my crop.
The gin recipe opposite is so easy and tastes
absolutely lovely. I have mine with tonic and
ice. It also makes a lovely gift (not that I give
much away!). The cake is a bit more of a
challenge but so worth it. Enjoy!
Ali Wale