In my attempt to keep up with the bounty of strawberries and rhubarb in my garden, I revisited a recipe I've had for 35 years... Did I just write 35 years?  That's almost impossible to believe.  But it's been even longer that I've been clipping, writing down, bookmarking, copying, and tearing out recipes and filing them away -- into BIG files.  And maybe that's why this recipe for bread pudding with strawberry-rhubarb sauce has gotten overlooked the past few years.  Six years, to be exact, since I last made this recipe.  But thanks to the abundance of strawberries (some days yielding 5 pounds) and my endless supply of rhubarb (good thing I like it so much), my attack plan has been to default to a super easy strawberry-rhubarb sauce.  And that reminded me of this simple bread pudding.  When served warm, or at room temperature with the chilled sauce, it is heaven.

     I have so many strawberries, I added some to the top of the bread pudding before baking.  A sweet little addition.  
     And don't limit the strawberry-rhubarb sauce just to bread pudding... cornmeal waffles, vanilla ice cream, french toast, and yogurt all benefit from a serving of this sauce, just to name a few... 

• 12 to 14 slices from a French Baguette, 1/2-inch thick
• 3 to 4 tablespoons soft butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups whole milk, or half milk-half cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce, recipe follows
1.  Heat oven to 350˚F.  Butter a 10-inch round or other shallow 2 quart baking dish.  Butter each slice of bread on one side and arrange, buttered side down, in the dish with sides of the bread touching or overlapping slightly.
2.  Beat together the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well-blended.  Pour over the bread slices.  Allow the bread to soak up the custard for about 10 minutes.
3.  Bake on the shelf just above the center of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly puffed and crusty.  Serve hot or warm with the Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE

• 3 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced in half (quartered if large)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated organic orange peel
1.  In a medium-sized enameled saucepan, combine all the ingredients and let stand 10 minutes.  Stir again, cover, and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Increase heat and bring to a gentle boil, uncovered, over moderate heat.  Cook until rhubarb is tender, but not mushy.

                

     This past weekend my daughter Claire hosted a baby shower for her sister, Whitney, along with Whitney's close friend, Allison.  Yes... I'm going to be an Oma.  The event took place in my home, and my contribution for this gathering was lunch.  The plan (for months) had been a luncheon outdoors on the patio and in the garden, of course!  But the weather turned against us with 90+ degree heat and unbearable dew points that forced everyone attending inside; not ideal in our minds, but we made it work...

     Appetizers were placed in the living room. 

 Tomato tarts (recipe HERE) and main course salad were served in the kitchen.

     I have been making my version of this chicken, corn and avocado salad (recipe below) since eating it at a local restaurant this spring.

    Dessert was 3 Rhubarb and Almond Cakes and Chocolate Bouchons (recipe HERE)  Yes... I always prepare more than we need.
    Drinks consisted of Mimosas made with Prosecco, Rosé, and non-alcoholic Watermelon-Ginger Spritzers (recipe HERE), which were just the thing on a hot, sultry day.
     The baby girl is due in September... a sister for Midge the French Bulldog.

adapted recipe from The Floating Kitchen
10 servings

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound rhubarb
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• Confectioners' sugar for serving

     It was a beautiful day...
     I spent it in the kitchen baking and walking my French Bulldog, Bisous.  What could be better than that?  The weather has been fantastic and we dined alfresco on the patio with family and friends.  This sponge cake with rhubarb compote and fresh strawberries tucked between the layers was our dessert... always looking for ways to use my yearly bumper crop of rhubarb.

• recipe for sponge cake from thejoyofbaking.com

INGREDIENTS:
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup sifted cake flour (make your own... recipe HERE)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water
• Zest of a lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pound strawberries, 3 reserved and the rest of the berries hulled and sliced
• Rhubarb sauce, recipe below
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons Confectioners' sugar

EQUIPMENT:
• 1 ungreased, 2 piece, 10-inch tube pan

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.
2.  Separate the cold eggs, placing yolks in one bowl and whites in another bowl.  Cover bowls with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature.  In the meantime, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
3.  Place the egg yolks and 2/3 cup of the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat
on high speed until thick and light colored.  When you raise the beater, the batter should fall back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.  Beat in the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest.  Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl with the whisk attachment whip the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and just form stiff peaks.
5.  Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks and gently fold into the egg yolk batter with a rubber spatula.  Repeat with the remaining flour, then gently fold a little of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it.  Add the rest of the whites, and fold just until incorporated.  Do not overmix the batter -- it will deflate.  Pour the batter into the tube pan and smooth the top.
6.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and invert the tube pan and suspend over the neck of a glass wine or water bottle.  Cool the cake completely (about 1 hour).  Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and lift up on the tube to removed the center of the pan.  Run the knife along the bottom and around the tube of the pan.  Invert the cake onto a wire rack.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
1.  At least 2 hours before serving, pour the heavy cream into a bowl and whip until starting to thicken.  Add the Confectioners' sugar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.  Set aside (or place in refrigerator if a warm day).
2. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake into 3 equal layers.  Take the bottom cake layer and place on a serving plate or cake stand.  Spoon half of the rhubarb sauce evenly over the cake layer, including just enough of the rhubarb's syrup to moisten the cake.  Take half of the sliced strawberries and scatter them evenly over the rhubarb.  Cover the rhubarb and strawberries with about 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Take the middle layer of sponge cake and place on top of the whipped cream, strawberries, and rhubarb; press sponge layer gently onto the whipped cream.  Spoon the remaining rhubarb, and some of the syrup, plus the strawberries onto the second sponge layer and top with another 1/3 of the whipped cream.  Place the last layer of sponge on the top and cover with the remaining whipped cream.  Slice the remaining 3 strawberries into fans and place on top of the cake.  I also sprinkled the top of my cake with strawberry sugar from Zuk-Zak. 
3.  Refrigerate the cake until you are ready to serve.  The cake is best when eaten the same day it is made.

RHUBARB SAUCE:
• 3 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat on the stove.  Cook until rhubarb has softened, making sure that the rhubarb has not broken down and you still have whole chunks of rhubarb.  Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely before assembling the cake.

     It's a good thing everyone in my family loves rhubarb because lately, it seems that is all that has been coming out of my kitchen.  It might be time to change LivingTastefully to The Rhubarb Blog (?)... at least during the spring months.
     I am very happy to pass this recipe for Rhubarb Galette onto you.  For me, galettes have such a wonderful rustic appeal and they are easy to assemble.  With a galette, you avoid lining a tart tin with pastry, then lining that with foil and dried beans or rice for a pre-bake (commonly done before filling the shell with custard... or, pastry cream). With a galette, most likely just fruit, mound everything into the center, fold and pleat the edges of the dough, and bake.  Easy!  There's nothing wrong with syrupy juices bleeding from the crust while baking.  In fact, it's somewhat expected.

     One of my favorite toppings for a fruit galette or tart is organic sour cream with some cane sugar mixed it; tangy and very similar to crème fraîche.  Again, easy and so good!

     I also thought you might enjoy some early photos of the garden.  Most of it has been planted.  All of the tomatoes, as of today, are in; something I usually don't do until Memorial Day weekend.  But long range forecasts look warm and with rain on the way this week, it will be perfect conditions for the vegetables and herbs.  The strawberries surrounding the Adirondack chairs are going crazy!  Finally!

     This is a photo of my west garden beds.  The east side is a mirror image.  The chives that we grow were in my mother's garden in Amana, Iowa, where I grew up.  I just passed some onto my daughter and her husband for their first garden. 
     In the front raised bed with the newly constructed tuteur, French breakfast radishes edge the outside and nasturtiums will eventually be climbing the frame. 

     Our University of Minnesota Edelweiss Grapes, along the side of our garage.  They also run the length of the backyard fence.

       Climbing English peas, purple beans, red onions and French lettuce in the east bed.

     I have two large urns with rosemary in the center and alyssum alternating with either English thyme or mint around the edges.  This is the mint, or mojito urn, as I call it.

,
     Our clematis are just starting to bloom.  They surround a cast iron, rectangular urn with a bronze water tap that my husband and I assembled for our fountain.  One of the best things about summer, for me at least, is hearing the water in the fountain when outdoors... or, through the window of our bedroom at night.  I really miss that once we have to close up the patio in the fall. 

     I have a weakness for plants/blooms that lean toward black.  Does that have anything to do with the way I dress?  If I were starting from scratch, I could see an entire property in black, white (and green, of course), with a deep red-pink thrown in here or there.  Last year I had the most beautiful begonia with black leaves and just a touch of that deep red-pink.  I loved that plant and lost it when we were traveling late summer .  My fault.  And I cannot find it anywhere this year... I'll continue to look. 

     And that brings me to Bisous... he's been growing into a big, healthy, and dare I say, handsome, young man... which hasn't been easy!  He has a penchant for eating anything and everything that can be harmful to a dog.  And he does so with a lightening speed determination. 
     We take him on many, many walks during the day.  He would prefer being out running in the garden with me, rather than watching from inside. But the times he has been loose out back, it resulted in a (costly) call to poison control after he ate entire marigold plants.  After that, gazanias.  Throw in the occasional stone, or whirly-birds from the maple tree that showers our yard, patio and deck, and it's constant monitoring of what Bisous will try to devour next.  I remember a somewhat similar challenge with Pipi, our previous Frenchie, but any dangerous behavior by her now seems almost nonexistent compared to Mr. B.
     Bisous is now over 6 months and over 19 pounds.  A big boy!  And of course, still growing.  He's a sweetie and VERY, VERY active.

• adapted from Bon Appetit | April 2010

    
     I finally got around to making this colorful dish of Salmon with Rhubarb and Red Cabbage.  I have had this recipe squirreled away for years, always running across it when rhubarb season was over and all of my red cabbage had been used up or given to friends.  But this time my (rather unorganized) recipe files (found on all three levels of my house) didn't get the better of me.  I ran across the recipe at the most opportune time -- when I was again wondering what I should do with all of my rhubarb.  Of course, it is far too early to be eating red cabbage from my garden; the plants only went in two weeks ago.  But this dish will certainly be on my menu again this summer. 
     I made some slight changes to the original recipe.  Instead of roasting the salmon in the oven, it was grilled outdoors on a cedar plank.  And assorted garden lettuces were tucked under the tender red cabbage that was simmered in a syrup of orange and spices.  I can also see this rhubarb and cabbage served with an herb encrusted pork tenderloin, seared and finished in the oven.  So many possibilities.

    I told you I'd be back with more rhubarb recipes... I am being very aggressive this year cutting and using the stalks of our eight enormous rhubarb plants.  They become so large that the leaves shade and kill surrounding grass.  Unfortunately, those conditions also provide the perfect habitat for slugs.  So I'm using up the rhubarb as fast as I can.  Yesterday I made a quadruple batch of Rhubarb Syrup (recipe HERE).  This evening friends of ours, who just returned from Italy, will join us for an al fresco dinner that will begin with glasses of Rhubarb Syrup and Prosecco.            
    Tomorrow I will make Rhubarb Chutney (recipe HERE) in an attempt to use up even more rhubarb.  And when I run out of any desire to eat another rhubarb dessert, bread/muffin or condiment, I will dice it and freeze it.

     This rustic Rhubarb and Almond Cake is my kind of dessert.  It's full of ground almonds and tart rhubarb; a dense cake that bakes for close to 80 minutes.  I made it late last night, and when I walked into my kitchen this morning, the intense almond scent made me feel as though I had just walked into a French patisserie.  Not a bad way to start the day!

    
    I have sampled (as my husband has also) a few small bites (I had to be sure it tasted as good as it smells).  The cake will finish our dinner tonight outdoors (most likely with a little whipped cream that has been sweetened with rhubarb syrup). 
   Yes... this is definitely my favorite time of the year!

+  adapted recipe | Alison Roman | Bon Appétit, April 2015

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for pan
• 1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds (I substituted just slightly less almond flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:  One 11x8-inch tart pan or one 9-inch diameter tart pan, both with removable bottoms.

1.   Preheat oven to 350°. Butter tart pan and sprinkle with sugar, tapping out excess. Slice rhubarb in half lengthwise (quarter if very large). Set 8 of the prettiest pieces aside for the top of the cake; chop remaining rhubarb into 1/2" pieces. Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground (texture should be sandy).
2.  Place 1 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; reserve pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend first egg before adding second. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
3.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, followed by yogurt. Beat, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, just to combine (batter will be thick). Fold in chopped rhubarb and scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth batter and arrange reserved rhubarb over top; sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar.
4.  Place tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any rogue juices) and bake, rotating once, until cake is golden brown and rhubarb on top is soft and beginning to brown, 70–80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool before removing from pan.
DO AHEAD:  Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Keep tightly wrapped at room temperature.

ASSEMBLY
• Place Pistachio Shortbread Cookie on a small plate or shallow bowl.  Top with a scoop of Strawberry Gelato and spoon Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote onto the gelato.  Sprinkle with chopped pistachios if desired and serve. 

    With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations surrounding Queen Elizabeth this month, and the summer Olympics in London just around the corner, it seems like tea and scones are in order.  Rhubarb Scones to be exact!