Just when winter is starting to feel long and grey, something wonderfully bright arrives in the shop to lift everyone’s spirits.
Forced Yorkshire rhubarb is one of the first real hints that spring is on its way. Grown slowly in dark sheds in the Rhubarb Triangle of Yorkshire, it emerges a vivid candy-pink with pale yellow leaves and a flavour that’s far sweeter and more delicate than later-season rhubarb.
It’s a little miracle of the growing year — tender, beautifully coloured and only available for a short time.
Although this rhubarb isn’t grown by us (yet…), we love celebrating it because it marks the turning of the seasons just as surely as the first snowdrops in the hedgerows or the arrival of Purple Sprouting Broccoli in our own fields.
Unlike outdoor rhubarb, forced rhubarb is grown in darkness, which makes the stems:
Extra tender
Naturally sweeter and less sharp
Stunningly pink
It needs very little sugar and hardly any cooking to turn into something special.
And because it’s only around for a few weeks each winter, it’s one of those ingredients that’s worth making the most of while you can.
1. Roasted with orange and honey
Cut into batons, scatter into a dish with a little honey, orange zest and juice, and roast gently until just soft. Lovely with yoghurt, porridge or panna cotta.
2. Classic rhubarb compote
Simmer very gently with a splash of water and a little sugar or maple syrup until it just collapses. Keep it in the fridge for spooning over granola, rice pudding or ice cream.
3. Rhubarb crumble (of course)
Forced rhubarb makes the most beautiful pale pink filling. It needs far less sugar than later rhubarb — and lots of custard.
4. With savoury dishes
Try a quick rhubarb chutney with pork, sausages or cheese. Its gentle sharpness cuts beautifully through rich food.
We love having forced Yorkshire rhubarb in the shop at this time of year. After months of roots, greens and winter brassicas, that flash of pink on the shelves feels like a promise of warmer days ahead.
It won’t be around for long — so if you spot it in the shop, take a bundle home and enjoy a proper taste of the changing seasons.
