Tuesday, July 5, 2011

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.

14 comments:

  1. This is just the way my grandmother used to make rhubarb pie. I love this recipe and, since you have my taste buds all stirred up, I better make it this week while rhubarb is still in season.

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  2. I still have rhubarb to pick and pies to make - you've go me going too!

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  3. I love rhubarb pie and this looks perfect to me. My rhubarb this year has been a complete disaster, I think it has just been to hot and dry for it :-( Diane

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  4. I also miss my rhubarb growing in the back yard. haveb't made good rhubarb pie in years; thanks for the memories.
    Rita

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  5. Anonymous10:42 AM

    The Amana recipe for Rhubarb Custard Pie is the best. We always had lots of rhubarb every year growing in various parts of our farm in central Iowa. I remember rhubarb strawberry pie as being really special when I was a child. But then I tasted the Amana version when I lived there and I was hooked. That is the only version I will eat now. rw

    Piestingel is not one of my favorite wines. I think Amana may be the only place in the world where wine is made with rhubarb?

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  6. Love rhubarb pie - and love rhubarb wine. My mother made it every summer... I don't think it was as strong as yours, however. It tasted like wine....

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  7. Rhubarb was a new ingredient for me about two years ago when I tried a rhubarb crisp recipe. Absolutely loved it! I will have to give this one a go, too. Thank you, Susan. Glad you have made it safely to your summer nest. blessings ~ tanna

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  8. Great pie Susan and a perfect way to use seasonal ingredients such as rhubarb.
    Sam

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  9. I agree, Susan. I used to love going out and picking my rhubarb. Now I have to get it at Fresh Market. The one good thing is I can get my hands on it before we did in the north country as the hothouse rhubarb arrives early and so beautifully red. It has great flavor too.
    Nice pie!

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  10. This sounds delicious! My mother only made rhubarb sauce and rhubarb crumble but never pie. I'm saving this for when I finally start to harvest my own rhubarb that I planted this year!

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  11. I have tried growingrhubarb and haven't been successful yet. My mom made a rhubarb crunch that I just adored. This looks just wonderful, with that creamy custard, oh I love rhubarb!

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  12. I like the idea of this in a custard. I bet it's so creamy! I'm hoping my gardener is harvesting the rhubarb and freezing it while I'm away!

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  13. Rhubarb is the Pacific Northwest's fail-safe crop, and don't I love it. Now add a little cream, eggs, and crust to the red charmer and I'm drooling for sure. Great recipe and one I shall also use with peach and apple pie. Merci! Tom

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  14. Mmm, nothing like a pie when you want a delicious dessert. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till Monday night and I'd love it if you'd come by and link your pie up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/07/sweets-for-saturday-25.html

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