Fruit of the season: Rhubarb

In case you did not know, rhubarb is the fruit of Spring

Botanically speaking, rhubarb meets all the requirements of a vegetable. However, its thick, fibrous stalks are treated as a fruit, despite its bittersweet flavour.

Rhubarb grows in two crops. The first is grown under pots in the areas around Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield at the beginning of the year. This is why you might have seen the fruit already on the shelves of the supermarkets.

The second, which is called main crop rhubarb, grows outdoors and is ready in spring. The latter presents a more bitter flavour and robust texture, but it is the most used in the kitchen.

The beauty of rhubarb is that it can be found in desserts but also savoury dishes and as a side in main courses!