Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp

If a ferocious hail storm, dozens of state-wide tornadoes, funnel clouds and sirens weren't convincing, the fresh vegetables and fruits available this month at the Oklahoma Food Coop made it clear that spring has come to Oklahoma. Peach Crest Farm, a certified organic farm, offered rhubarb and strawberries. Having little experience with rhubarb, I was curious to see what all the fuss is about. Using a recipe from my trusty old Betty Crocker cookbook as a guide, I combined it with the strawberries, which were red and juicy and magnificent.

As I diced the rhubarb, I tasted a bite of it--it was crisp and mouth-puckeringly tart. I was surprised at how tender it became when baked. The fusion of sweet strawberries with tart rhubarb and cinnamon streusel topping was luscious. I loved the combination so much that I would like to grow rhubarb and strawberries in my garden next year!


Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp
adapted from an old Betty Crocker recipe

1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
(or use any combination to make 3-4 cups of fruit)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Toss fruit and vanilla and place in 8 X 8 inch or 11 X 7 inch baking pan sprayed with baking spray.

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup (5 tablespoons) salted butter

Place flour, sugars, cinnamon, and butter in food processor and process until mixture starts to clump together. Sprinkle mixture evenly over fruit.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until top is browned and fruit is bubbling up through the topping.

My 97 year-old Mom told me that Granny used to grow rhubarb and mix it with apples from her Missouri orchard to make a delicious pie or cobbler. I would love to try that combination next time.

Buying Into the Good Stuff

I recently joined the Oklahoma Food Coop. Some of my cooking friends have long sung the praises of buying locally grown, organic food. Months ago my daughter sent me the link to the coop website and enthusiastically encouraged me to join. I wiped off my Cheetos-stained fingers and typed my response to her: "It costs too much--it's not worth it."

I don't remember exactly why I decided to revisit the link; but once I did I was drawn to the list of producers and their descriptions of their products. Who can resist "no bugs allowed", "free-ranging", "certified organic", "all-natural", "wild-picked", "hand-crafted", "heirloom", and the all-important "grown or made in Oklahoma". I joined on the spot.

Larry Ressler of Ressler Farms, new to the coop this month, nicely sums up what makes buying from the coop such a beneficial experience:

I strive to practice truly sustainable agriculture. My use of the land does not consume or destroy its inherent value, but attempts to improve it while producing clean and wholesome food raised in a humane manner.

After I purchased eggs from Ressler Farms, Mr. Ressler emailed me to make sure his eggs were well received. When I contacted him with my praise for his eggs, he responded: "For me, it's not about the money. It's about doing my part to produce local, clean, humane and wholesome food." His cage-free and hormone-free Barred Rocks, White Rocks, Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Blue Laced Red Wyandottes and Buttercups (I love fancy-pants chicken names) graze on pasture and provide these beauties.

Just look at this list from which to choose food, home, and garden products; and shopping is easily done online, wearing my fuzzy slippers and PJ's.

At the new Edmond location where I picked up my purchases, Chelsey, the Edmond coordinator, was a calm voice in the midst of friendly chaos--dozens of large ice chests full of orders, mesh bags full of produce, pails of wheat berries, and boxes of various products. From the operations center, to the drivers, to the distribution areas, it is a volunteer undertaking, so everyone pitches in to help sort and to assist others in finding their products. It was fun standing elbow-to-elbow trying to find my eggs from the dozens in the ice chests and my apples from the bags on the floor.

Check out the bounty I chose this month:

Jewel-like Seedless Red Raspberry Jelly from Granny's Oven Fresh in Chandler

Peach Salsa (it's addictive) from Peach Crest Farms in Stratford

Wild Grape Jelly, Garlic Tomato Basil Soup from Earth Elements Farm in Lexington

Eggs, including beautiful blue ones and "apples that are great but have a split", (they are crispy, tart, and delicious) from Peach Crest Farms

6-pack of certified organic lettuce from Crestview Farms in Arcadia

Eggs from Ressler Farms in Arcadia

Cowboy Cheese, preservative-free from hormone-free cows, from Christian Cheese in Kingfisher; Creamline Yogurt and sweet. creamy Butter from Wagon Creek Creamery in Helena

Was my order a bit more than I would pay at the grocery store? Yes, and worth every penny.