How Alaska eats: Alaska knows rhubarb. Here are our best recipes.

Newsletter #55: How are rhu?

I think you should use up all your rhubarb this weekend. Or your neighbor’s rhubarb that they aren’t using. Or maybe some rhubarb that you ask for from your Facebook friends. Rhubarb goes way back in Alaska’s food history, a favorite both because it grew easily in Alaska’s climate and because it delivered sourness, a flavor people craved in a place without citrus.

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(WAIT: You HATE rhubarb? Jeff Lowenfels has sympathy. The rest of you, read on ...)

I have a new recipe for a geometric rhubarb tart that will be especially pleasing to the Montessori-influenced, math-minded cooks out there, but our recipe writers over the years have done all kinds of awesome with rhubarb. Here’s a few greatest hits.

Rhubarb-almond coffee cake.

Rhubarb barbecue sauce.

Make-anywhere rhubarb crisp that travels in a backpack.

Rhubarb simple syrup for making rhubarbaritas, rhubarb mojitos and rhubarb Bellini.

Rhubarb crumble pie.

Rhubarb crostata.

Kim Sunee has a video version of her rhubarb compote recipes, both savory and sweet. Maya Wilson has a recipe for making rhubarb-infused gin. And, I know it’s hot, if you missed it, we went hard on light dishes and salads in last week’s newsletter.

[Read previous newsletters here. Find more Alaska recipes here.]

In non-rhubarb news, market columnist Steve Edwards has some moves for you when it comes to finding fish without fishing for it. He also knows the secrets of early farmers market broccoli. If you don’t already, help support local news and local cooking and subscribe to ADN.

Here’s hoping you fall into a deep sleep tonight, listening to the sound of the fan.

RECIPE: GEOMETRIC RHUBARB TART