Robin: While I was growing up, rhubarb wasn´t really part of my life. I´d heard of it, tried it a time or two in pie (and hadn´t thought particularly highly of it), but it just seemed like a boring olden days thing that old timers talked about. I guess it didn´t help that said old timers just talked among themselves about it; maybe if I´d been shown what rhubarb looks like in its natural state—and been told that the leaves are poisonous and the stalks are edible—my interest might have been piqued.
It wasn´t until I was well into adulthood, advancing quickly on the way to old timer status myself, that I saw rhubarb stalks for sale in a supermarket and the plant came onto my radar. By then I was in the process of moving back to the U.S. after having lived more than 20 years in Mexico, where rhubarb is almost completely unknown.
Somehow, while working on recipes for the fabulous fresh fruit-filled ice pops that Mexico does so perfectly, I came up with the idea of making ice pops with rhubarb. They turned out great, and my more mature palate was able to fully enjoy rhubarb´s sour flavor—tempered with pleeenty of sugar, of course!
These pops were particularly a hit with Caroline, my boss at the time. We worked at a thrift store in northern Indiana, where a tart-sweet rhubarb pop really hit the spot for her in the back room on a hot summer day. Sadly, she passed away a little over a year ago, way before her time, after a life filled with heartbreaks and great joys. This recipe is dedicated to your memory, sweet Carrie.
Rhubarb Ice Pops
Does someone you know love rhubarb? Turn them into your forever fan with this unexpected recipe!
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fresh rhubarb stalks
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1.5 cups water
Instructions
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Chop the rhubarb stalks into pieces about ½-inch square.
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Combine the sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat, stirring often, over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is transparent. Add the chopped rhubarb and cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb is falling apart. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool to near room temperature.
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Process the mixture in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into your ice pope molds and stick them in the freezer. If your molds do not have “built-in” sticks and you are using disposable ones (wood,paper, etc.), insert them when the mixture is half frozen, after 30-50 minutes in the freezer.
Recipe Notes
Makes 8-16 popsicles, depending on the size of your molds.
More summertime fare:
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