Rhubarb, roses and a recipe for spring

May is always a month of memories for me in the kitchen. The elderflowers bring their daunting aroma, the rhubarb coming out of the still-cold soil brings joy with its bright taste, and the Nootka roses carry a scent that is purely nostalgic. After the months of winter marmalade and the fleeting spring dandelion confit ( a delicate, aromatic spread made by gently simmering whole flower petals in syrup to create a clear jelly ) rhubarb was always the jam that told me spring has finally arrived.

Rhubarb was the first jam I made when I started Le Meadow's Pantry thirteen years ago. I remember ordering several pounds from Camel's Back Harvest, a small family farm in Pemberton, BC, where they grew strawberries and the most ruby-red rhubarb. I had decided to make a rhubarb jam without the usual strawberries. I had made upside-down cakes and compote for my children many times, but turning rhubarb into a jam was something entirely new. I also quickly learned that you need a lot of rhubarb to make a few jars: those thick, long stalks melt almost instantly in the heat and you are soon left with not much. And although I usually cook jam on high heat as quickly as possible to preserve the fresh flavours of the fruit, rhubarb asked something different of me. A slow simmer, gentle stirring, enough patience to keep some pieces intact, that turned out to be the method I'd be using every spring for the next thirteen years.
Now my friend Shirlene from Earth Apple Organic Farm in the Glen Valley supplies me with red rhubarb and elderflowers every spring. I use the red rhubarb with ginger, elderflowers, strawberries and Nootka roses. Miranda from Sweet Earth Farm grows the green rhubarb; a different cultivar with a smoother, less acidic taste that has become a favourite for many of you. Contrary to what many people think, green rhubarb isn't unripe, it doesn't start green and turn red; it is an entirely different variety. We have finished cooking the green rhubarb and are hopeful we made enough to last until the end of summer.
We are still receiving and cooking the red rhubarb, and next week we will fold in the petals of Nootka roses for a gentle, fragrant taste of spring. The elderflowers were more elusive this year: the weather shifted too quickly, cold then warm then rain, leaving only a narrow window to harvest. We will have a limited amount of elderflower vinegar ready in early June. And since the elderflowers arrived before the rhubarb this season, we added them to the strawberry jam. 
At the markets
The summer farmers markets are underway and if you are in Vancouver, you will find me at Trout Lake, West End and Kitsilano on weekends. It's still early in the season but you will find beautiful varieties of greens, wild and cultivated, the first strawberries, and of course, rhubarb. I notice a lot of people reaching for those shiny red stalks at the market, and then not quite sure what to do with them. If that is you, here are two simple ideas: sauté the stalks in a little butter and serve over fresh spinach, or turn them into a compote.
Rhubarb Compote
Rhubarb has a natural affinity for warm, fragrant flavours. Ginger, orange, angelica, vanilla, cardamom and mint are all wonderful companions; in the compote below, simply add one to the saucepan at the start of cooking if you'd like to experiment.
A good compote finds the moment just after the rhubarb softens but before it disappears entirely into a purée. The natural acidity fades, the flavours settle into each other, and what remains should have some pieces intact and a deep, dark pink hue.
Serves 4

• 4 cups rhubarb, ends trimmed, leaves fully removed, cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 strip lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, lemon rind and juice in a large non-reactive saucepan. Let stand at room temperature for about one hour, until the rhubarb begins to release its juice.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring carefully, until the rhubarb is soft but some whole pieces remain — about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool completely before serving. It will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

Serve with vanilla yogurt and honey, alongside a ricotta cheesecake, spooned over an apple crisp, with crème fraîche, or simply straight from the jar.
Shop rhubarb
Our rhubarb jams are available online and at the farmers market, or if you prefer, you are welcome to preorder and pick up at the market. It is rarely available in store and quantities are limited. Visit my market schedule here to find me this season.

So many of you have taken the time to write and tell me you enjoy this newsletter. In a world of too much information, knowing that some of you will click and read my words fills my heart more than I can say. Thank you.
With love from my kitchen, Geneviève