5 cups Washington Rhubarb

cut into 1" pieces

2 tablespoons hot water

1¼ cups granulated sugar

1½ tablespoons corn starch

4 teaspoons cold water

pink or red coloring

Add hot water, sugar to rhubarb in saucepan.  Stir well with wooden spoon.  Cook covered for 5 minutes, but once during cooking, remove cover and stir.  At the end of 5 minutes, remover cover and stir again.  Add cold water to cornstarch to make a thin mixture.  Stir gradually into rhubarb even though all pieces may not be thoroughly done. 

Cook and stir constantly about five minutes or until sauce is thick and glossy looking.  Meanwhile, add a few drops of coloring to give rosy glow.  Chill and serve over your favorite dessert...cake, ice-cream or pudding.

NOTE: if you prefer a rhubarb sauce that is not thickened, omit the cornstarch.
 

We harvest Washington rhubarb from hothouses January through March and then hand cut from fields April through September.  The colorful plant is grown in our valley, in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.

www.ci.sumner.wa.us