Rhubarb has been a spring staple in my family as long as I can remember. 

by Alison Charbonneau

My grandmother always had a patch of rhubarb growing in her garden where we would pick the ruby stalks and she would bake them into something delicious. Ever since I have owned my own home I have followed suit as I love the tartness of rhubarb baked into squares, tarts, cakes and of course – pies.

In my opinion, nothing beats a great rhubarb pie. So I asked a like-minded individual who knows his pie, Justin Niklaus of Offshore Bakery in Southampton, about… well… rhubarb pie!

What makes a great rhubarb pie? 
Rhubarb pie is all about balancing the tartness without overpowering with sweetness in my opinion. 

Crumble top versus crust top?  
I prefer crumble top for a rhubarb pie as it soaks up a bit of the juices during the baking process and you can add some layered flavours with the topping like cinnamon.

What are some good combinations with rhubarb? 
A little bit of lemon zest along with sugar of course is a good addition, it really makes rhubarb sing even louder. Strawberry is the classic pairing as they grow in the same season, and we don’t like to fight mother nature on that suggestion.

What are some of the items you use rhubarb in at the bakery?  
We use rhubarb in a few weeks recipes, but mostly strawberry rhubarb pie. 

What do you like about working with rhubarb? 
We like rhubarb because it’s local and usually abundant. We usually clean cut and freeze it for use throughout the year.

Any trade secrets or tips for baking with rhubarb? 
Making rhubarb compote is super easy and versatile in baking. You can add it to pound cake, as a topping for ice cream or on/in pancakes. (Recipe below)

After some not so subtle hinting, Justin was kind enough to let me try a piece of his rhubarb pie. Let me tell you, it was so so good.  I couldn’t believe how velvety, smooth and delicious this pie filling is.  If you haven’t tried an Offshore Bakery pie yet, make sure you pick one up the next time you are there. It is totally worth it. 

Or try making one for yourself. Hi-Berry Farm has an abundance of rhubarb available until the end of June.

Offshore Bakery's Rhubarb Compote

Boil chopped rhubarb on low-medium heat with as much sugar as your liking. When it liquefies transfer it to a blender (make sure lid hole is out to let the steam out) cover with a towel and blend.  Strain to remove fibers.  If you like chunky sauce, chop rhubarb coarsely and follow same recipe but instead of blending use a whisk at end of cooking to catch the tough fibers in the mix. Transfer to a container and refrigerate up to a week or freeze up to 6 months.

Produced by howwedolocal.blog

Photography by Jill Schildroth Photography

Recipe provided by Justin Niklaus of Offshore Bakery