Rhubarb Pie Par Excellance in the New Kitchen: Webisode #23

What's Going on Today: Getting settled, playing at the playground despite the cold snap, enjoying time with each other in the moving aftermath.

Naptime Goals: Rhubarb Pie, work in *new* upstairs office (a.k.a. the guest room), take a deep breath and enjoy the absence of boxes.

Tonight's Menu: Take-out from the Italian place we are dying to try, homemade Rhubarb Pie for dessert.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Even the littlest ones need downtime, too.

Today I am taking a deep breath. I am starting to feel like the move is behind me. My Mom has returned home to Cooperstown, Mercury is finally out of retrograde and I am sleeping well at night again. It has been a whirlwind two weeks, that is no joke, but we have come out on the other end relatively unscathed. Just as we were settling in to the new normal over the weekend, a cold snap blew in. Last week we were in shorts and tanks, today we are in fleeces and jeans. My daughter seems remarkably undeterred by this weather. She is so enamored with the new playground down the street there is no keeping her inside. Instead of fight it, I just go with it. You'll note in the video above I am outfitted for late fall during a playground visit in May (!)

My Mom brought me a huge bunch of fresh rhubarb from the garden when she was here last week. I've been saving it to make something delicious and it just so happens that this weather put me in the mood for a warm fruit pie. I know, I know, there has been a rhubarb around here lately, but I promise this is the last one for at least six weeks.

This is my grandmothers recipe and it is a real treasure. I only use the filling recipe she gave us, though. The pie crust recipe she wrote contains copious amounts of lard so I opt to make Dede Wilson's pie crust from Bon Appetit instead. Dede's crust has never let me down and works with just about any pie I've ever made. It does a perfect job of showcasing the soft, tangy rhubarb compote filling, that is neither too tart nor too sweet. In a way, I feel like I am initiating our new kitchen by making this family favorite. Like I am introducing my new appliances to what they can expect from me over the next year. So far everything seems to working well, even, thankfully, the radiators.

Rhubarb Pie Par Excellance

4 c. Rhubarb, cut into 1" pieces

1 1/2 c. sugar

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

For the crust (adapted from Dede Wilson for Bon Appetit)

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 T. sugar

3/4 t. salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 c.) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Frozen for 15 minutes.

6 T. ice-water

1 T. cream & 2 t. sugar (for crust wash)

1. In a food processor fitted with a blade process the flour, sugar and salt for 10 seconds. Then, add the butter and process again until a soft meal forms. Finally, dribble in the ice water bit by bit until a moist dough forms. Remove the dough from the processor, divide into two equal pieces and form disks. Wrap each disk and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Make the filling by combining the rhubarb, sugar, zest and juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the rhubarb until it becomes tender and liquidy. About 8 minutes. Then, continue stirring until the liquid begins to form a syrup. About 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Once the crust has chilled, roll out both disks on a lightly floured surface until they are 12" round. Place one pie crust in the bottom of a 9" pie dish. Fill it with the rhubarb filling. Cut the second round into strips 1/2" thick. Place 6 strips in one direction, equal distant apart. Then, arrange remaining strips in the opposite direction to form a lattice pattern. Seal the strip ends to the crust edge with your fingers. Combine cream and sugar in a bowl and brush over the lattice, but not the crust edges. 

4. Preheat oven to 450ºF and bake for 30 minutes. Then, reduce heat to 375ºF and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow to cool and serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Serving Ideas: This is a great spring or summer dessert. I recommend serving it with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing the crust takes about 5 minutes. Then, preparing the filling takes about 20 minutes. 

Naptime Reviews: My daughter is still learning to like rhubarb, but my husband and I loved it!

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake: Webisode #22

What's Going on Today: After all the packing... we are finally unpacking. 

Naptime Goals: Unpack the kitchen (my top priority, obviously!)

Tonight's Menu: Take-out from the mexican place up the street we can't wait to try.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Sometime change is good, even for kids.

So, we've moved. It was a stressful, chaotic event, just like all moves are, but we've done it. Needless to say we are beyond thrilled that everything worked out and are very grateful to our pals at Moishe's for taking good care of us. 

Since I am busy unpacking boxes today I am posting a Webisode I shot last week for my favorite seasonal Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake. As you know, I freeze rhubarb at the end of each summer so that I can enjoy it year round. Last week I was busy cleaning out the freezer and making sure no good food went to waste. This meant thawing and using up my last bag of rhubarb from summer 2009. This was actually good timing since we have just begun rhubarb season in the Northeast. My mother has reported that the plants in Cooperstown have started budding. We should have our first stalks in a couple of weeks.

As you'll see, I made this delicious cake while my daughter napped in the afternoon then we ate it the next morning for breakfast. It lasted us for a few days which was perfect since I let everything else in our pantry run out, including our usual selection of cereal and oatmeal. It's longevity on the counter also makes it great for entertaining. It can easily be made 1-2 days ahead of time for a brunch or breakfast.

I've baked a lot of coffee cakes in my life and this one, I think, is the absolute best. The cake is moist and creamy but doesn't overshadow the sweet flavor of the rhubarb. I also love the large sugar crumbs on top, they add just the right amount of crunch on top of the vegetable layer. I hope you all get a chance to make it this season and love it as much as we do.

I'll be back next week with reports from the new kitchen. And, yes, my daughter loves her new - much larger - bedroom and is taking nice, long afternoon naps as always.

Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake

adapted from the New York Times, June 2007

Filling:

1/2 lb rhubarb, washed and cut into 1" squares

1/4 c. sugar

2 t. cornstartch

1/2 t. ground ginger

Crumb:

1/3 c. dark brown sugar

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

Pinch Kosher salt

1/2 c. melted butter

1 3/4 c. cake flour (like Swan's Down or similar)

Cake:

1/3 c. sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 t. vanilla extract

1 c. cake flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. Kosher salt

6 T. butter, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter and flour an 8" square baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

3. Make the crumbs by placing sugar, spices, salt, butter and flour in a bowl. Using clean hands, pinch the ingredients together until they form a solid dough but is still a bit crumbly. Set aside.

4. To make the cake, in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix the sour cream, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and butter. Then, in a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture bit by bit until it is totally incorporated, but not overbeaten. The mixture should be totally smooth and slightly sticky.

5. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the greased 8" baking pan and pat it down evenly. Distribute the rhubarb over the top in one single layer. Dollop the remaining cake batter over the rhubarb in a few spoonfuls and make sure it is somewhat even.

6. Using clean hands, crumble the large crumb dough over the top of the dough. The chunks should be anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4" in size. The whole cake should be completely covered. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and serve.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipe Variations and Ideas: I've never tried this with any other berry but I bet it would be great with blueberries or blackberries. This cake is fantastic for entertaining and would be perfect to serve on a buffet table for brunch.

Naptime Stopwatch: Making this cake takes about 45 minutes, plus baking time.

Naptime Reviews: My daughter is slowly becoming a rhubarb fan and loves this cake as much as we do.

Napping in my August Garden

In the northeast, one of the greatest culinary joys of August is eating fresh produce straight from the garden. Living in these northern latitudes means, unfortunately, there is a limited window during which fruits and vegetables flourish naturally outdoors. Therefore, it is best to take advantage of the local fresh produce from the moment it arrives at the farmers' market or sprouts in the yard, until it is too cold for stalks to grow, or the last market bushel is picked clean.

These days I've been canning tomatoes, freezing berries and making jam like crazy. I've also been doing my best to enjoy and preserve my beloved rhubarb. I have begun to freeze it, cut into small chunks and put in bags, as well as bake a few dozen batches of my favorite treats, rhubarb hazelnut oatmeal bars.


One of my missions this summer has been to get my daughter to like rhubarb, and I think these bars did the trick. They are not overly sugary, or laden with any kind of additives. Instead, the ingredients are straightforward, the preparation simple, and they taste absolutely delicious. In fact, the sugar content is so modest that I've let my daughter enjoy these for breakfast a few times, served with a nice dollop of vanilla yogurt on the side.


I make a lot of dishes with rhubarb, and what makes this one so special is the flavorful addition of chopped hazelnuts. Their warm, sweet flavor provides a nice balance to the savory rhubarb stalks and earthy oatmeal. During the summer I tend to make these on almost a weekly basis and have noticed that this recipe works well with blueberries, too.

Preparing these bars while my daughter sleeps is incredibly easy. In fact, they have usually cooled by the time she wakes up so we can enjoy them together for a late-day snack. After we've eaten I like to take her out to the garden and show her the thin rhubarb stalks that will be ready to pick in the next few weeks. I try to explain that what she is seeing is the plant she just ate, although I don't think she quite understands. She points at them and says "yummy" before walking away. Oh well, next summer she'll be able to understand the concept more easily. Which, to me, is all the more reason to get excited to see what the garden will bring next year.

Naptime's Rhubarb Hazelnut Oatmeal Bars
adapted from a recipe given to me by my childhood neighbor, Katie Sanford
3 1/2 c. rhubarb, cut into chunks
2/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 t. vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. quick oatmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
2/3 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. finally chopped hazelnuts
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13 pan, set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat mix sugar, cornstarch and orange juice. Stir in vanilla. Add rhubarb and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients with butter until fully combined.
4. Pat 3/4 of oatmeal mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Pour rhubarb mixture over oatmeal and spread evenly.
5. Top rhubarb mixture with remaining 1/4 c. of oatmeal mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until oatmeal top begins to brown.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: These bars are a snap to prepare during naptime. If you want to make them a little sweeter it is fine to add a touch more sugar.
Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing the bars takes all of the 20 minutes, then just pop them in the oven to bake and you are all set!
Naptime Reviews: My whole family loves these bars, even my daughter. It took a while for her to get used to the savory tartness of the rhubarb, but she has converted to loving it after a few tries.