Initially utilized for medicinal purgative purposes, rhubarb originated in Western Chinese culture some 5000 years ago, with crops extending into Tibet, Mongolia and Siberia. It wasn’t until the plant was introduced to ancient Greek civilization that it got its name; the plant grew along the Rha, the Greek’s name for the Volga River. Since the plant grew mainly in non-Greek (Barbarian) territory, it came to be known as rah barbarum, which was eventually shortened to rhubarb. For thousands of years, rhubarb existed only as a medical laxative. It wasn’t until the 18th century that rhubarb began being grown for culinary purposes. It gained popularity in England around the same time that sugar became more widely available, making it an ideal filling for tarts or sweets.

There are varying accounts of how rhubarb came to be cultivated in America. Benjamin Franklin is credited to some degree for this feat, yet it is believed that Franklin was only responsible for introducing medicinal rhubarb to the English colonies, as the edible variety of the plant was already being grown there. Despite its presence in American crops for the latter part of the 18th Century, rhubarb didn’t become a part of American cooking until the 1820s. Like the English before them, New Englanders were also fond of rhubarb pies and tarts, not to mention rhubarb wine.

Because of its prevalence in sweets and pastries, rhubarb (nicknamed “pieplant”) is often falsely assumed to be a fruit when it is, in fact, a vegetable. Vibrantly red in color, its long, leaf-topped stalks closely resemble celery, although its closest relative is actually buckwheat. In both cooking and medicinal uses, its important to note that only the stalk of the rhubarb is fit for human consumption – the leaves contain oxaclic acid, which is highly toxic to humans. Rhubarb is a perennial plant, which grows best in cool climates, thus making northern United States and Canada ideal regions for rhubarb cultivation. Although greenhouse-grown rhubarb can be found almost year round, field-grown rhubarb’s season begins in April and generally lasts until June. It’s best to store rhubarb in plastic bags in the refrigerator, where they should keep about 3-5 days. Rhubarb can also be frozen, as well as canned to lengthen its culinary lifespan.

Although it tends to be very tart, rhubarb’s flavor is mellowed with the addition of sugar – as is evidenced in its aforementioned popularity in pastries and pies. Rhubarb also works well in a variety of savory dishes, plus it has a variety of health benefits beyond its traditional fiber-based purgative qualities. Dried rhubarb can be found at many health food stores and can be helpful in lowering cholesterol, battling heartburn, calming hot flashes and fighting bacterial infections. Fresh rhubarb is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and potassium, so it’s as welcome an addition to your healthy diet as it is to your kitchen. Try it out for yourself in this recipe for Tigris Trout with Rhubarb Tahini Sauce.