I remember many years ago, walking past a neighborhood produce stand in New York City, when I saw a young boy’s eyes light up as he exclaimed to his mother – “Look, Mom. Cherries!” They were the first of the season, and I will never forget his clearly visible excitement at seeing them.

We live in a time when we can get most fruits and vegetables any time of year – especially true for those of us who live in California. But we’ve traded in this easy availability for the wonderful anticipation and joy at seeing the first signs of a truly seasonal fruit.

I’ve been on a search of my own for one of our last, it seems, truly seasonable fruits – or actually, a vegetable masquerading as a fruit, in this case – rhubarb, a true harbinger of spring. I began looking, on every trip to the produce store, almost a month ago – in late February or early March, only to be disappointed. But finally, last week – there they were, in all their jewel-like garnet red glory.

For those of you who love tart flavors, rhubarb absolutely belongs on your menu. They are most often paired with strawberries for a sweet/tart marriage in pies, but more appealingly to me, crumbles. Dipping a spoon into these warm crumbles with a nutty cinnamon and ginger topping offered up a noticeably delicate and fragrant bouquet. They are irresistible!

But hurry out and pick your rhubarb, now. It really is a springtime treat, and it’ll be gone before you know it.

Rhubarb Strawberry Crumble

I baked these in my beautiful Le Creuset gratin dishes, which I don’t break out of the cabinet very often. I finished mine (!), but noticed a couple of the guests took half of theirs home. Baking the crumbles in these dishes does makes for a substantially sized dessert serving. The portion can be almost be cut in half by baking them in 4 ounce ramekins.

For the filling:

• 8 ounces rhubarb, cleaned, trimmed of any leaves and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 8 ounces strawberries
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Zest of a small orange

For the crumble topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch slices and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Cut the strawberries in half, or quarters if they are large, and place them in the mixing bowl.
4. Pour the sugar, juice and orange zest over the rhubarb and berries, mixing lightly. Divide the rhubarb-strawberry mixture evenly amongst the gratin dishes or ramekins.
5. Place the flour, brown sugar, oats, walnuts, cinnamon and ginger in another large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the butter cubes over them, then with your fingers, break up the butter pieces, then work and mix them into the other ingredients with your fingertips, forming large crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the fruit mixture. Place the baking dish/es on a parchment lined sheet.
6. Bake for 25 -30 minutes until the crumb topping is brown and the fruit mixture is bubbly and thick.

Yield: Four servings in a gratin dish

Yum