RHUBARB KUCHEN

Well, here I am again. My first piano student didn't show up, the second one hasn't shown up yet, and the third one's not due for another half hour so thought I'd post the first recipe of Mom's to come to mind. It's a rhubarb kuchen, and, since most of you reading this blog are probably from Wisconsin or thereabouts, you know what rhubarb is. You poor southern folks may have not experienced or be familiar with this culinary treat, but trust me, you'd like it.

Another reason I chose this recipe to start with is because there's a really good story that goes along with it. Mom always made this kuchen when the rhubarb was fresh and we were home for a visit. She knew we loved it. Usually we'd have Donna and Wil and the kids there or some neighbors or something to share the treat. It makes a big 9 x 13 pan full, so plenty to go around.

One thing Ma always said was that it was better warm, so, when cutting the dessert to pass around, she'd count noses, and that's how many pieces she would cut. That normally worked pretty well. It was all eaten up and everyone had a good sized slice to finish off the meal. With a little ice cream on top, you couldn't go wrong.

Well, one year when we were home from Oklahoma, Ma made rhubarb dessert. I don't know what else we had preceeding that dessert, but I know it was a bunch. She didn't make skimpy meals. Anyway, we, Bill and I, were already full from way more than we should have eaten, when Ma said, "Ok, the kuchen is nice and warm and we're ready for dessert."

Now I kid you not ---- she brought out 4 plates of kuchen - one for each of us, Bill and me and her and Daddy, and there was A FOURTH of a 9 X 13 pan size piece on each plate. I remember telling her that was way too much dessert to eat at one sitting, but she said, and I quote, "You know it's the best when it's warm." There were four of us eating, so that's how many pieces she cut. I still can't believe we really ate that whole thing, but you know, I actually think that we did.

That's another reason why my clothes all seem to have shrunk. I have the Adler "love to eat" gene and the "easy keeper" gene as well. You Adlers know just what I'm talking about, inso??

Anyway, here's Mom's recipe for Rhubarb Kuchen. If you've not had it before, try it. If you have, and would like to take a stroll down memory lane and find yourself back around the round table in Mom and Daddy's dining room, just cook it up, then take a bite and close your eyes. You can almost see her sitting there saying, "Go ahead. It's the best when it's warm."

Mom's Rhubarb Kuchen
Crust: 2 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup shortening 1 egg
Beat egg and add enough milk to measure one cup. Mix all together and put into a 9 x 13 pan.

Line the crust with 4 cups of cut up rhubarb. Sprinkle the rhubarb with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 3 oz. package of red jello.

Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/4 cup of butter until crumbly. Drop by spoonsful on top of the jello. Bake at 350 degrees until the rhubarb is done.

A half batch will work for a 9 x 9 pan. (she didn't tell me that until after the 1/4 pan piece episode).

till next time - JB