Amana Rhubarb Pie

I will admit, the one thing I really miss, living in Florida, is being able to go to my garden and harvest rhubarb.  I grew up eating rhubarb pie and later, as an adult, drinking rhubarb wine.  My grandfather and father always had a barrel or two of rhubarb wine in our basement.  They would make it themselves, with rhubarb juice, water  and sugar.  This was clear and strong and almost like drinking gin.  Let's just say, you need to acquire a taste for it.  But, the pie, that was a beautiful treat.

As soon as we got to the Midwest on this trip, I knew I had to make a pie.  The rhubarb was beautiful.  So, Rhubarb Pie, the Amana way, was on the menu.

I have spoken before of coming from the German villages in Iowa, the Amana Colonies.  This recipe is the most typical of our villages.  There are variations, of course.  In fact, you can still find Rhubarb Pie on the menu at the Ox Yoke Inn restaurant in Amana.

If you can't get there soon, and they serve it all year, make your own.  Oh, yum!!  The pieces of rhubarb lie in a creamy custard in your favorite pie crust.

Amana Rhubarb Pie
Seasons of Plenty  
Recipe by Janet Zuber

3 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk or half and half
1 9 inch pie shell, unbaked
Powdered sugar is optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop rhubarb into 1/2 to 1/4 inch long pieces.  Beat eggs well, add sugar, vanilla, milk or half and half.  Fold in the rhubarb.  Pour into pie shell.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until custard is set.  When cool, you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.