"Bill" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

Upstate NY, zone 6. I have a rhubarb plant which is too big for the spot
where I planted it last year. This was obvious at the time I planted it,
but
what's new? Anyway, I'd like to move it, and maybe divide it & give some
to
a friend. It's just now showing some growth, maybe 3-4" high. Good time
to
move it? What about dividing it? I haven't lived with the plant for
enough
years to really tell how it grows. Single crown? Split it like a hosta?
Are
they pretty rugged plants?

Split like a hosta and if possible a bushel of compost per plant. Take
off seed clusters if you see them.

Good. Easy.

"Many rhubarb problems can be traced to...." (He should be along soon to
tell me about my rhubarb tree)



Bill who assumes you know the leaves are toxic (High in oxalic acid).


Damn...I just ate one...

THUD


We enjoy Rhubarb, sugar, vanilla as a stew with ice cream or just by its
self .


Recipe: Rhubarb ‘Big Crumb’ Coffeecake

Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling



Butter for greasing pan



FOR THE RHUBARB FILLING:



1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger



FOR THE CRUMBS:

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 3/4 cups cake flour



FOR THE CAKE:

1/3 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup cake flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.



1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For
filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and
ginger. Set aside.



2. To make crumbs, in a large bowl, whisk together sugars, spices, salt and
butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. It will look like a solid
dough.



3. To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg
yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together
flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful
of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened.
Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in
two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down
the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set
aside.



4. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter.
Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.



5. Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch
to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are
around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted
into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45
to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.



Yield: 6 to 8 servings.