[Sca-cooks] Is Rhubarb period for Europe? or not?

[Suey]

On 4 Apr 1998 Ras wrote:
> However, Europeans imported the root only as a medicinal, having in true
> barbaric European fashion eaten the leaves early on with disastrous  
> results.
> Leonhard Ruuwolf saw it growing in Lebanon circa 1573-1575 C.E. It  
> was growing
> in certain abbeys as a medicinal and planted by a certain Adolf Occo  
> in 1570
> bringing it into the lay garden.  Lyte mentions it as growing in English
> herborist's gardens as a curiosity in 1578 C.E. Prosper Albinus grew  
> it in the
> botanical gardens in Padua at the same time, describing and  
> illustrating it in
> his herbal.
>
> It is not until the 18th century that we see reference to it's use as  
> food.
> And even into the 19th century, it was grown not so much for the  
> edible stalks
> but rather, in the case of Rheum rhaponticum, for it's edible  
> unopened flower
> heads.  R. rhaponticum curiously is the plant grown by Occo, Albinus  
> Gerard
> and Parkinson.
> So apparently rhubarb was NOT grown as food during the Middle Ages  
> although
> it's roots were imported, or rarely grown, as medicine or botanical
> curiosities with the exception of the more civilized Persian world  
> where it's
> culinary delights most probably were known.
>   

Now we have established that rhubarb is a native of China, was taken to 
the Volga River where it picked up its name. Then it spread to Greece 
and Levant (Italy). During Arab occupation of Spain it grew wild in the 
Sierra Nevada outside Granada and used not only for consumption but also 
for decorative gardens. Usually, the roots and seeds were brought in 
medical form as purgatives and subsequently as astringents. They were 
thought good for the humors. Further, the roots served as a medicine for 
cathartics. The juice from them relieved swollen gums. Stewed, in small 
doses, it has been given to children as a laxative. The edible leaves 
became a common vegetable in Spain at least. They were eaten also as a 
fruit. The leaves were stewed or baked in pies and added to sauces. In 
Andalusia rhubarb became an ingredient in recipes originating from 
Persia. The Bagdad Cookery Book calls for the juice extracted from the 
stalks to flavor meat. The Wusla il.a Al-Habib uses it as a vegetable 
serving it with chicken and meat in general. Perry indicates that the 
stems were macerated in those cases. Too, rhubarb was added to syrups, 
compotes, pastries and comfits and made into candy. The 13^th C Anon MSS 
calls for rhubarb in a "Great Drink of Roots" and in a "Cheering Syrup". 
The Archpriest of Hita mentions eating rhubarb with goat liver for 
lunch. Villena in the beginning of the 15th C provides instructions on 
how to carve it.
Suey