Rhubarb

Rhubarb, the crumble classic! Used as a vegetable only relatively recently, in England since the 17th century, rhubarb has been used in medicine for thousands of years. Originating in China it has been used variously as a cure for both dysentery and constipation - something to bear in mind before eating to excess!

The rhubarb plant itself is quite beautiful, with large green leaves atop long, upright, brightly coloured stems. The stems are typically red, although yellow and green types exist. Early rhubarb that has been 'forced', that is, grown with no or very little light in a protected environment, is usually pale pink, more tender and sought after.
The leaves are toxic and should not be eaten. Early season stems need not be peeled, though later on in the season you may like to. The taste of rhubarb is distinctively tart and requires cooking with sugar or another sweet fruit. It does contain lots of calcium that unfortunately is not available to the body, but it does have lots of fibre, vitamin C, K, potassium and manganese. Look for thinner stalks that are less likely to be stringy.