Celebrating Year One with Rhubarb Sauce
One year ago, I threw my Mom a surprise birthday party. I made one of my ubiquitous grain salads, and a bunch of people asked for the recipe. I had always prided myself on being the sort of person to actually go home; hunt down or make up the recipe; write it on a cute little card; and stick it in the mail. This time, I decided to put the recipe on a blog, figuring it might save a stamp or two. What I didn't know was that, for several months, the absolute only thing I'd want to do is cook and write about it. In Praise of Leftovers moved in.
A year later, it's clear to me that this venture saved me from myself in lots of ways. Bits of my angst leaked out, but it's easier to tell you now that last year was a hard one for me--lots of identity issues; the intensity of Yancey starting a new job; working again to find my place in the world. That's a journey that never ends--a task that crops up over and over again if we're trying to live engaged lives. For the moment, though, I'm happy to be taking a breather from asking impossible questions. My family and I seem to have come into a clearing of sorts--we're a little scratched up from bushwhacking, but the sun's out now and we've found a grassy patch. And, of course, I brought a picnic.
Spring means rhubarb. And rhubarb means rhubarb sauce. For starters, how on earth are you going to shove all those unruly stalks into your fridge? I know my fridge would resent it. Too many tubs of half-finished yogurt camping out. So wash and chop it, throw it in a saucepan with a good bit of sugar and splash of water, and you'll have spoonfuls of spring in 20 minutes. To my taste, there is nothing better.
Happy Birthday, In Praise of Leftovers. Thanks for giving me a swift kick in the *$%# last year. And for all these dear, dear readers whose insights and friendship have helped me love life more.
Rhubarb Sauce
We had a giant patch of rhubarb in our alley growing up, so Mom became an expert in all things rhubarb--cake, crisp, chutney, bread, and always sauce. Mostly, I eat it with yogurt and granola, but you can use it a million other ways--over ice cream, pancakes or waffles; in smoothies or stirred into oatmeal.
5 cups chopped pink rhubarb (I chop mine into 1/4" dice. If you chop them bigger, they'll just take longer to cook)
3/4 c. sugar (or more to taste)
splash water
Throw everything into a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to low. Cook for about 20 minutes, until most the fruit has dissolved and it's a nice thick consistency. Add more sugar if you want. Cool, then refrigerate. Keeps a week in the fridge.
March 29, 2010
Reader Comments (30)
Love you! Happy birthday, IPOL!
Happy Birthday, IPOL! Happy Birthday, Leftoverist! The blog has been an alchemist in so many ways huh?
We've been blessed and inspired.
Thank you, sister.
xoxo
Happy Birthday to my favorite blog! Thank you for all of the inspiration over the past months.
Congrats! It has been a joy reading about your life and seeing all the delicious things coming out of your kitchen. I hope to see more in the coming year and for us to finally meet!
More congratulations, IPOL and Leftoverist! You've created a real multi-generational community, which is a real comfort in these disillusioned days. You see things 20:20, don't pretend otherwise, but look for the silver linings which give purpose to those of us seeking justice in a number of various ways. And you help us to be better locavores in delicious ways, although I feel like that is an extra bonus to the bigger blessing! THANK YOU!
Congrats on your one-year anniversary, and may you have many more! FYI, your pumpkin cookie recipe from last fall was a huge hit here in my neck of the woods, and something happened to me that hardly ever does: people requested the recipe! So you see, your blog's influence is spreading far and wide. Thanks, and Go Leftoverist!
And a great year it's been for us, your dear devoted readers! That we have the opportunity to not only get great recipes but even greater stories. I love this community that has sprung up around you.
I was just thinking the same thing!! Maybe there will be an opportunity during IPOL's 2nd year for "the community" of readers to gather. Perhaps in Bellingham????? Happy Birthday, IPOL, and thank you, Sarah!
Happy Birthday! What great timing, I made Oatmeal Pancakes this morning using my smartphone to commemorate the day. Gianna in her typical grumpy morning self didn't even want to try them - love it! Her papa got her to try the pancakes in the end and she (and I) loved them. Thanks for sharing your life and recipes!
Yippee IPOL. Happy day to you! It has truly been so inspiring and blessed me in more ways than I have expressed. To another year of life in the kitchen.
Happy birthday to IPOL, dear sister! What a year...so lovely that you have been able to capture so much of it here. Thanks for sharing with us!!
singing happy birthday to ipol (and wyatt) from brooklyn! :)
xoxo
Hi Sarah...I LOVE your blog. It has definately become a bright spot in my life. It has become routine for me to check and see if something new has been posted. Thanks for sharing.
Yay for the Leftoverist and a year of yummies and stories! I'd say I'm your biggest fan, but I think some people would fight me for the title. I am constantly inspired by your wit and wisdom and, of course, your crazy talent in the kitchen. Thanks so much for sharing with us!
happy birthday IPOL and Wyatt and Peggy and YOU!! what a way to share your life. thank you for being so honest, so real, so generous with your recipes...my family has surely packed on a few pancake pounds because of it. :) xoxoxo
HAPPY B.DAY! Your blog been a wonderful addition to my life - I think you must celebrate!
Wow, can't believe one year has already passe. But then again, it seems like 2 or 3! HaPpY BiRtHdAY IPOL! And as many have expressed, THANK YOU for sharing your life, and your talents with us!
By the way, never cooked with Rhubarb before. It looks delicious! I'll have to give this one a try. Now that my nausea is finally gone...FOOD, here I come!
I have enjoyed your blog so much, Sarah. I didn't know it started from that salad at the surprise party. I do remember how good it was. As for rhubarb, I have tons of it in my alley, and your mom comes by every spring to see if it is ready. Luckily for her, I don't use it as much as I think I'm going to, so there is always plenty to share. Happy one year blog anniversary, as well.
Happy Birthday to the best food blog in the world. Thanks for all that you've spilled out on these pages, and for all the connecting that goes on here. Thanks for caring about people and for the time and devotion you've poured into it. We are all better people and cooks because of it.
I hope as you blow out your candle you get your wish.
My wish is there will be many more years of of success, and that some day you'll be on the New York time best seller list, until then I"ll just wish I"ll see my personal signed copy of your first edition before I'm 60
Wishing you many more years of success.
Happy Belated Birthday to you! Although I don't comment to every post - I am a faithful reader - love it!
Congratulations! I was looking back through the stained 3-ring binder I keep in my kitchen where I stuff all my printed and clipped recipes and was suprised at how many IPOL recipes I had made over the last year. Most recent was oatmeal pancakes (awesome). Several, like the Steak Bruschette salad and Every Day Granola and Best Pizza Dough ever I've gone back to over and over.
keep up the great work.
Rhubarb is definitely a way to celebrate. I can still recalling going on walks around Bellingham stopping Ben to admire a garden full of rhubarb. Thank you for starting IPOL, you have inspired me & spoken to my heart. Thank you Sarah & Happy First Birthday and look forward to many more:)
Congratulations on blogging for a year -- and on all the many things you've accomplished and worked through during that time. I'm a believer that writing -- about almost anything -- is a process that helps keep us whole. All the best to you -- and I hope you continue writing!
Sarah, I'm so grateful for our friendship, which I'm pretty certain would have never happened without IPOL. (And pds... thanks, pds!) Thank you.
Last summer we were both grappling with a lot of shtuff around mothering, change, career, self-identity, purpose....etc etc ad nausem. There was something about reading your blog which finally gave me the boost and inspiration I needed to get my own blog started. The writing has been good for me... it's helped "keep me whole" as Amy WK just wrote her comment a couple of hours ago.
For fun, I went back to some entries last summer. You wrote an entry called "Good, but Not Easy" on June 26 and I wrote an entry called "Throwing Mommy Out with the Bathwater" the next morning. We were both doing a lot of doggy-paddling upstream abou then, it seems.
It's not too much to say that through IPOL, you became an important part of my desperately-needed healing process. It looks like this year will be filled with much more hope and contentment for both of us. Isn't that lovely?
Yeah... so anyway, I need to go get a tissue to wipe some of the crocodile tears off my keyboard. A tissue, and a cookie, that is. Apparently pds whipped up a big batch of cookies after dinner tonight while Hubby and I were managing bedtime with the boys. I'm seriously liking this baking phase she's in right now, but I'm going to have to start getting more exercise if she keeps it up.
Happy first year blogiversarry! Here's to many more. Cheers! (Clink!)
PS - I love rhubarb, love it love it love it.
Not about rhubarb Sarah, but Ham. Inspired by your Christmas ham, I got a Smithfield for Easter. Did you follow the Saveur recipe exactly? I'm a little thrown by the last direction - after simmering the ham for 3 hours (which is new to me) -- the instructions are to bake it, but the recipe ony says 15-20 minutes? I'll be checking back, hoping for your experienced advice.
step 4 from Saveur:
Heat oven to 400˚. Drain ham, reserving 1⁄4 cup cooking liquid. Trim skin and fat; transfer ham to a rack set inside a roasting pan. Whisk together reserved cooking liquid, molasses, brown sugar, and mustard to make a glaze; brush ham with some glaze. Bake ham, occasionally brushing with glaze, until glossy, 15–20 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
and Happy Birthday to your blog. Godspeed in all your pursuits this coming year.