When looking for a basic midwest recipe like rhubarb bread, you won't find it from the Barefoot Contessa, Jamie Oliver, Rachel Ray, or any of the other celebri-chefs you see so much of nowadays. Nope, for rhubarb bread, we're going straight to the source: the community cookbook.
Community cookbooks can come from schools, churches, workplaces, charities...if you don't have one (or don't have access to one...thanks Mom), it is a sign that you need to get out from under your rock. They are easily identified by their lack of glossy photos and each recipe including the name of the recipe contributor. It's cute, it's quaint, it's a tradition that I hope keeps going for a long, long time.
This one happens to be from the local telephone company. It's a big thick volume of local recipes with ten pages of meatball recipes. Someday I'm going to make every single meatball recipe, invite friends over, and have a Meatball Ball.
Some recipes are almost comical in their simplicity and straightforwardness. For example, who hasn't always wanted a good cough syrup recipe? And of course I would list it right next to the fudgesicles.
Tom Smith is obviously really excited about his cake.
Where were we? Ah yes. So here is the rhubarb bread recipe, page 331.
I know it's a good one since a bunch of people apparently contributed the same recipe AND there is a recipe listed above it also titled "Rhubarb Bread" that is exactly the same, except for the teaspoon of cinnamon. It must have been tough, being Gerri, and enduring the Norweigan coffee-fueled gossip about her cinnamon-less rhubarb bread every Sunday at church.
You could easily whip this up in the mixer, but with quick bread I like the 'ol bowl and wooden spoon. The mixer feels like overkill.
Yum.
So what to make for dinner?
Sauerkraut hotdish, anyone?
Hey Beth - I'm so happy to find someone else who really appreciates community cookbooks - they are the only place you will find those regional delights - many past down from generation to generation. You know they are true family favorites - prepared in a real kitchen by a home cook - not a test kitchen by trained chefs. Loved your post! I'm from the South and we don't do Rubarb Bread here - it would be Zuccini or maybe Banana Bread around here. Thanks -
ReplyDeleteNice use of the rhubarb, Beth. I still have to pick up some ginger so I can do something with mine. And, on the rhubarb kick, Duluth is having a music festival this month called Rhubarb something or another. I wanted to steal the poster for you, but being a mother now, I figured that was the wrong example to set for my child.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love the cough med. recipe. Too funny.