It’s Memorial Day.  The last Monday in May is set aside in the U.S. to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the Armed Forces.  

But it’s also considered the unofficial start-date for picnics, neighborhood potlucks and backyard barbecues.  

We’re taking the day off and because the Food Safety News team is spread out across the country, we’re having our third annual “virtual potluck” for our Memorial Day celebration.

Dan and Helena are bringing the main dishes — slow-cooked barbecue pork sandwiches and Mussels in Wine. James and Cookson are bringing salads — Barley-Is-Boss Salad and Tortellini Pasta Salad. Mary is bringing a side dish — Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce.  Suzanne is contributing her Rhubarb Crumble for dessert.

We’re sharing our recipes here, so you can join in our virtual potluck or use them at your next one.  

Have a  food safe Memorial Day celebration!

The Food Safety News team.

 

My grandma made the best rhubarb pies.  They were straight-up rhubarb–not strawberry-rhubarb–and were my favorite.  When she passed away a few years ago, I asked my mom to get a start of her rhubarb plant, and this Mother’s Day I harvested all the rhubarb I could from that plant to make a rhubarb pie for the Food Safety News Memorial Day potluck … Only I got lazy and turned the pie into a crumble.

Rhubarb Crumble

For the filling:

4 cups sliced rhubarb
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

For the topping:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Heat oven to 375F.  Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan.  Spread the filling in the pan.  Mix the ingredients for the topping and sprinkle it over the rhubarb filling.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.  Serve hot or cold, with whipped cream or ice cream.

It’s even good for breakfast!

Note:  Anne Dimock apparently feels the same way I do about straight-up rhubarb pie, so the filling for this recipe was inspired by one of hers, which can be found in her book, Humble Pie:  Musings on What Lies Beneath the Crust.