I feel like rhubarb often gets the pushed aside. It’s often looked over in the grocery store, and I bet you that many people don’t even know what it is. While I was grocery shopping the other day, I saw some rhubarb stalks just staring me in the face. Literally they were staring me down, and I knew I had to make something special with them. Although technically a vegetable, rhubarb takes on a lot of “fruit-like” characteristics. It’s very tart and sweet and absolutely spectacular in pies. If you’ve never had a rhubarb pie, you are 100% missing out. Our pantry was lacking in the sweet department, so yesterday was all about the sweets. In the end…Brown Butter Rhubarb Cookie Bars were born. Yes, they taste just as amazingly as they sound. They also look just as amazingly as they taste. These little beauties were totally worth the 2-3 hours of times they took to make. Don’t be worried, it’s really not THAT bad. Oh and there’s a perfectly perfect beer pairing with this one…one you certainly don’t want to miss.
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Vanilla bean, rhubarb, and cookies oh my! Yup, I just went there. Seemed appropriate at the time.
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Yes, that would be the birth of a rhubarb and orange simple syrup. I don’t think that needs any explanation, except for maybe…Yum!
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I’m not going to lie, these cookies aren’t going to take 10 minutes to make. There is quite a bit of work involved. There is also quite a bit of inactive time and cooking time. There are also quite a few steps to tackle. Have I scared you away yet? I certainly hope not. They are totally worth the pain and suffering. I promise.
Also, I am definitely NOT, not going to tell you how much butter is in this bad boy of a recipe (ahem 1 1/2 cups…yup, 3 sticks). That’s right. It’s not light, but it’s fun to indulge sometimes right?! Also, it’s brown butter! Who doesn’t absolutely love brown butter!?
Fun Fact:
When picking out a rhubarb, look for one that is bright in color with hardly any blemishes. The straighter the better. The crisper the better. Also, if your local grocery store is like mine, they usually only sell the stalks. This is because the leaves contain toxins that can be harmful to humans…and especially your puppies! If you happen to be growing rhubarb, then you probably already know that you shouldn’t eat the leaves. If you happen to find rhubarb in the store with the leaves still in tact, toss them or compost them (which is totally ok to do). You don’t want them. Trust me.
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Let’s Talk Beer
You totally want something sweet and dessert-like for this beer pairing. If I were pairing with wine I would definitely choose a good port or sherry. We’re pairing with beer of course so I decided to go with one of my favorites. The Bruery’s Five Golden Rings is one of my favorite beers of all time and it is such a sweet-tasting “dessert” beer. Although it is brewed with pineapple and not rhubarb, it is still a perfect pairing. It is tart and fantastic. Choose something sweet and refreshing for this pairing. You will be so happy you did. Hey, and if you happen to come across a beer that has been brewed with rhubarb, let me know! I know they are out there, but I have yet to find one at my local bottle shop.
Happy Monday everyone! See you all tomorrow!
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