In warm climates, rhubarb will grow all year round, but in colder climates the parts of the plant above the ground disappear completely during winter, and begin to grow again from the root in early spring. It’s one of the first things to be edible in a prairie garden (along with asparagus) so I’ve always had a soft spot for rhubarb, in it’s roll as harbinger of the end of a long cold Saskatchewan winter.

… mind you, my soft spot pales in comparison to John’s Cleese’s. Yes, you read that right. I’m thrilled to be the first of the 365foods family to bring Monty Python to our little corner of the blogsphere, in the form of this lovely tune called The Rhubarb Tart Song!!! Go on, go watch it.

Don’t worry, I’ll wait here.

Funny, wasn’t it?!**   Where else can you get Descartes and “I think therefore I am a Rhubarb Tart!!”

Anyways, on with the show. Having already divulged my family’s eggnog and one-bowl chocolate cake recipe, it’s time to dip back into my Grandma’s recipe book and share our rhubarb pie recipe. This is a custard pie, without a pastry top, which can be made in a matter of minutes. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and tart, and tastes great with a little whipped cream, while the pie is still warm.

Rhubarb Pie

Makes 2 standard 9″ pies.

Preheat oven to 400c

Wash and chop into 1/2 inch pieces 6 cups of rhubarb, put half the rhubarb in each pie shells (pre-bought, or homemade).

Mix together: 2 c sugar, 6 tbsp flour, 1 tsp nutmeg, 2 tbsp butter, 5 eggs . Beat well with an electric mixer. Pour over rhubarb, jiggling the pies a bit to get the custard to seep down between the rhubarb bits.

Bake for 50 min.

Enjoy!

~Deanna

** If you’re living in cubical land and can’t blast a Monty Python song at 10am without getting in trouble, here are the lyrics (attributed to John Cleese):

1. I want another slice of rhubarb tart.
I want another lovely slice.
I’m not disparaging the blueberry pie
But rhubarb tart is oh so very nice.
A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart!
A whatbarb tart? A rhubarb tart!
I want another slice of rhubarb tart!

2. The principles of modern philosophy
Were postulated by Descartes.
Discarding everything he wasn’t certain of
He said ‘I think therefore I am a rhubarb tart.’
A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart!
A Rene who? Rene Descartes!
Poor nut he thought he was a rhubarb tart!

3. Read all the existentialist philosophers,
Like Schopenhauer and Jean-Paul Sartre.
Even Martin Heidegger agrees on one thing:
Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart.
A rhubarb what? A rhubarb tart!
A Jean-Paul who? A Jean-Paul Sartre!
Eternal happiness is rhubarb tart.

4. A rhubarb tart has fascinated all the poets.
Especially the immortal bard.
He caused Richard the Third to call on Bosworth Field:
‘My kingdom for a slice of rhubarb tart!’
A rhubarb what? A rhubarb bard!
Immortal what? Immortal tart!
As rhymes go that is really pretty bard!