I love rhubarb in summer! Tis’ the season folks. Not the holiday season, but gardening season. It’s early yet but my favorite fruit is making its rosy appearance in the garden. I say fruit, but the produce I am referring to is actually a vegetable. I’m talking about rhubarb which is, indeed, technically a veggie, but if you are confused about which one it is you are in good company. By the way, did you know rhubarb was legally declared a fruit by a New York court in 1947?

Rhubarb and Summer Fruit Crisp

My favorite summer (spring) dessert is rhubarb crisp. Why a crisp? I’m lazy and a summer rhubarb crisp is so much easier to make than a pie. It’s as versatile as a pie since you can add strawberries to it in the spring and apples in the fall. And, in my twisted mind, I can think of it as sort of healthy”¦I mean it has a veggie and oats in it right?

So all you need for this crisp is to chop up the rhubarb and toss with sugar and cornstarch (and/or strawberries or apples if you choose). Place the mixture in a baking dish. Then combine oats, brown sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon until the mixture is crumbly, yet combined. Spread over the fruit mixture and bake in a preheated oven at 350 F. (177 C.) for about 45 minutes.

That’s it, and its sublime with or without the vanilla ice cream!

If you aren’t into the crumbly, sugary crisp, but like the vanilla ice cream, there are other ways to enjoy this rhubarb summer dessert. Simply stew down the cut up rhubarb on the stove top with sugar, water and lemon zest until the fruit (vegetable) falls apart and thickens. Pour the warm, not hot, rhubarb sauce over the aforementioned vanilla ice cream, pound cake or pancakes, or you can smear on toast or stir into yogurt. Easy peasy, and sweet rhubarb summer fruit is absolutely to die for!