This State Produces The Most Rhubarb

When you think of Washington, the first things that come to mind are probably the city of Seattle, rain, or "Twin Peaks" (the show, not the restaurant). The state's wet, mild climate is perfect for growing rhubarb, so it's no surprise that Washington grows the most out of any state in the United States. Rhubarb — a perenniel plant — breaks its dormancy when the temperatures are about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and it grows best when temperatures average about 75 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. 

This stalky, red plant is known for being a key ingredient in cobblers, but it's technically a vegetable. However, the stalks are the only edible part, and you shouldn't eat rhubarb leaves. They are toxic because of their high oxalic acid content. Aside from causing gastrointestinal symptoms, oxalic acid can also bind to calcium and create kidney stones. Interestingly, this binding property is also why oxalic acid in rhubarb can be used to recover most of the lithium when batteries are recycled.

The searing natural acidity of rhubarb makes it hard to imagine how humans started eating it. Rhubarb comes from the area around present-day China, Mongolia, and Siberia, and for thousands of years, it was mostly used medicinally. It wasn't until sugar became widely available and affordable in the mid-1800s that rhubarb became a smashing success.

If you've got lots of rhubarb, you can use it in more than just pies and cobblers. Try it in glazes, sauces, salad dressings, and more, but you'll always need sweet ingredients to make that sourness palatable. Add strawberries (and sugar) to your rhubarb-based desserts for a delicious and well-loved pairing — you can try out the combination in Aldi's frozen pie from The Village PieMaker and Costco bakery's strawberry rhubarb summer pastry.

You can also use rhubarb in your next cocktail. The easiest way to do so is to make an easy rhubarb syrup. In a big saucepan, simmer water, sugar, and rhubarb chunks — using fresh is best, but frozen is good too. Once the rhubarb is soft, strain it out, and you've got a vibrant pink sweet-tart syrup. Use it alongside gin and lemon juice in a Tom Collins, combine it with Aperol and sparkling wine to create a spritz, or sweeten some sparkling water for a refreshing zero-proof beverage.