hullo. Custard rhubarb....

[kathryn williams]

Hullo.
I am new here, and have a query about rhubarb. My 80 year old neightbour remembers once having a custard rhubarb plant - rhubarb with a built-in custard flavour. Does anyone know of any specialist nurseries where I might be able to get one? I have tried searching using Google but all I get are recipes for rhubarb and custaard, even if I use quote marks etc to try and limit the search.
Love the forum... it feels friendly and helpful!

[Lesley Jay]

Kathryn I have never heard of custard rhubarb. All rhubarb is quite tart in flavour. Could it be that your neighbour remembers this from childhood and that it wasn't a plant but rhubarb and custard sticks. A sweet which is made to look like a stick of rhubarb with a custard flavour going through the middle.

[Nicos]

I looked this site up for you...www.rhubarbinfo.com
and there was no mention of it there, but they do welcome questions, so it might be worth contacting them!

I just wonder whether it was a local name for a particularly good/sweet/tender/red variety which, when served with custard, was more palatable to kids?

[Pip]

This is a great idea what about apples with built in pie flavour, pavlova flavoured raspberries and a chocolate moose!

[Jaxom]

This is starting to sound like the garden that Willy Wonka grew.

[Nicos]

Can i come and play??

[Geordie]

Hi Kathryn,

You could try the RHS garden at Harlow Carr near Harrogate. They stock the 'National Rhubarb Collection'.

[andrewo]

Sweets

Are you sure she isn't confused about those childhood sweets rhubarb and custard or maybe the kids programme or, god forbid, her mother just lied to her to get her to eat rhubarb: "Yes dear, the yellow stuff is the sap of the rhubarb, it tastes sweet doesn't it?".

Never heard of custard rhubarb, custard apples, yes. Will be interested if Harlow Carr confirm this or just all roll round laughing.

Andrewo