One of my favorite parts of spring is the opening of all the farmer’s markets. If you’ve been to a market this spring, I’m betting that you’ve seen one of my favorite spring vegetables - rhubarb!
If you’re not familiar with rhubarb, it is a long, red-tinged stalk, similar to celery. The leaves of rhubarb are actually toxic, containing oxalic acid, and need to be discarded. If you don’t have access to a farmer’s market, grocery stores often carry rhubarb in the spring.
Rhubarb has a very tart flavor, and is typically prepared as a fruit, used in pies, jams, cobblers etc. However, rhubarb can be pickled, used in cocktails, or salsas for more savory applications. It’s always one of my first purchases of the season at the farmer's market, and I always have fun deciding how to use it.
Rhubarb and strawberries are a very traditional, delicious combination and my mom’s favorite!. I’ve made strawberry rhubarb coffee cake and strawberry rhubarb crumble bars in recent years, but most recently I made muffins with rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. They were a big hit amongst the kids and adults in my house, and have earned a permanent place in my baking rotation! They freeze well too, so if you won’t finish them within a few days, just freeze some of them and defrost as needed. Having a crowd? This recipes doubles well, too!
Very Berry Rhubarb Muffins
Servings: 12
Active Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 lemon zested
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1/3 cup chopped fresh strawberries
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
For the crumble topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted
Pinch of salt
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line your muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk, butter, vanilla paste, and lemon zest.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix to combine. The batter will be thick and lumpy.
5. Fold in the rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
6. Fill each muffin liner 3/4 full with batter.
7. In a small bowl, mix crumble ingredients together and top each muffin with mixture.
8. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
I hope these muffins have inspired you to head to your local farmer’s market to find some rhubarb while you can. Even if you miss rhubarb season, farmer’s markets are fantastic anytime - they provide an opportunity to shop locally and seasonally! Navigating a farmer’s market can be daunting, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Come see us every other Thursday at the Lincoln Square Farmer’s Market! Our next demo is this Thursday, June 18 at 5pm. I guarantee you’ll be inspired!
If you’d like a tour of the farmer’s market from a chef, join us for our Farmer’s Market Tour and Cooking Demo on July 23 at 5:30pm.
Want to cook yourself? Join us for Garden to Table: Seasonal Spotlight where we celebrate the bounty of the summer with delicious and seasonal dishes featuring produce such as peaches, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, and berries!
If these muffins have inspired you to bake, we’ve got some terrific baking classes happening soon, too:
Do you have teens that love to bake? Snag one of the last seats in our Teen Camp: Baking and Pastry Techniques starting Monday, July 13.
Don’t forget that our retail store is stocked for all your baking needs, and we have some great items on sale, as well!
