Hidden from view by its terracotta overcoat for the past few months, it's impossible to know exactly how the rhubarb beneath is developing without peeping.
Hidden from view by its terracotta overcoat for the past few months, it's impossible to know exactly how the rhubarb beneath is developing without peeping. Rhubarb forcing jars are wonderful objects in their own right, and mine takes up residence covering an established clump from January.
Rhubarb forcing jars have great ornamental appeal. A traditional hand-thrown terracotta jar is a lovely object in its own right. They aren't cheap, but do last, especially if you buy one made by British potters who use good quality clay, fired at a high temperatures to ensure the terracotta is frost-proof. I bought mine from Whichford Pottery about 15 years ago for about £90, and as the price has gone up over that time, I think it was quite a good investment. It looks fabulous, and helps force masses of rhubarb.
The ornamental appeal of forcing jars could be considered secondary, as their role is really functional … to keep the plant in total darkness and encourage new stems of rhubarb to surge upwards in their search for light.
And what a wonderful sight it is during April when the first foliage lifts the lid of my forcing jar slightly, and I know the long, pink, tender stalks inside are ready to pull. Just ease your hand gently down between the stalks, grasp tightly near its base, then tug ever so gently to pull it away.
I can taste the rhubarb crumble already, or should I make rhubarb fool instead?
There are actually dozens of different varieties of rhubarb, but few are readily available in garden centres. I think mine is either 'Victoria', 'Timperley Early' or 'Champagne', or perhaps 'Stockbridge Arrow' A rhubarb connoisseur could probably tell the difference by looking at the thickness and length of stalk, by its colour, or perhaps by its taste.
Call me uncouth, but to me it's all rhubarb. Perhaps someone could enlighten me on a world of culinary experiences I have yet to discover. There's a National Plant Collection of rhubarb at the RHS Harlow Carr Gardens near Harrogate containing well over 100 cultivars, and I'm sure they have experts who could tell me what I'm missing.
Until then I must pick a few more stalks, then hunt for some new rhubarb recipes on the web.
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