Me+ Baking =

I wanted to bake Jeremy a pie. I wanted it to be so so special. He loves fruit pies and dessert. Me not so much. But this dessert was going to be for him. I had seen it on Oprah (clue #1 it was going to be FABULOUS!) and on that show it was Cindy Crawford who said she makes it all the time and keeps it in her fridge constantly (clue #2) So I set out to make it, as a surprise, for the very first time for Valentines day. The day of love. And this pie would say so.


Buying the ingredients to said pie was fairly easy until I had to find rhubarb. What the @^%$ does rhubarb look like? The word on the street was “red celery.” So the search began. And continued. And continued on. I mean if it’s not in the produce section of Kroger I have no idea where to look. Miracle of all miracles I ran into one of Jeremy’s high school buddies in the middle of the hunt. She’s super smart but also a nutritionist so I knew she would be able to lead me to the promised plant. Vegetable? Fruit? She confirmed that there was no fresh available and advised me to look in the frozen section. Genius.


The hunt continued. So while in the artic I am finding many new things but not rhubarb. Rhubarb?! Rhubarb?! Where are you?!!! So the cold caused me to remember something. Sometimes things that are frozen are also found in cans. Who is the smart one now!


The can aisle. Looking up and down. All around. Finally there it is! I grab 2 moderate sized cans to make sure I will have enough. Purchase all my ingredients and walk victoriously with my head held high to the car. Kroger did not defeat me this time!


When I got home I stripped the labels off the cans because it was a surprise, remember. And I still had a few days until the big day and I didn’t want him getting any ideas. I mean what else do you use rhubarb for?


So when the love day comes I commence baking. First let me say that I realized the first four or so ingredients just made the crust. Disappointing. I could’ve bought that. I tell myself that it will be better since it is homemade and press on to the filling part. This was easy. You just mix strawberries, rhubarb and sugar (maybe one or two other things small amounts though) together. This is going splendid. So the canned rhubarb is working out but it doesn’t look like red celery. Who was it that told me that? They must not know what they’re talking about. This was more like red/brown mush. Hmmm. So I cover the pie with the second crust and begin to bake.


The mush keeps sitting in my head. It really didn’t look like anything that would go with strawberries. Or in a pie. But then again, neither does “red celery”. I think about pulling the cans out of the trash but I remember I tore the labels off days ago. What to do? I tell Jeremy my dilemma in secret code. I may have messed up and I don’t know how to fix it.


I can’t shake it off. The pie is starting to emit an aroma but not that sweet smelling. Then I remember. Sometimes on can lids they give you some data like expiration etc. So against all odds I check it. This is what I see…






3/12/2012


RUTA






Now that is exceptionally odd. How do you spell Rhubarb. R-U- B something, something… I’m thinking.






Holy Holly Hobby!


I just made a strawberry RUTBAGA pie. For my hubby. For love day.


Yay.