the return of rhubarb

You know those sad looking trays of produce, sitting forlornly on the reduce sale rack? This is the best place to start a recipe. Often fruit and vegetables that are almost overripe are the perfect, most flavorful start to a meal.

For example, the other day, I bought a tray of apples: a few Galas, a handful of Macintosh and a Honey Crisp: for 79 cents! This was the makings of a delicious applesauce, which, by the way, is always tastiest when you use a combination of apple varieties. And a few bruises don't really matter.

My second find at Fiesta Farms: rhubarb. It may seem strange in the middle of February, but the are a number of farms around Toronto that grow greenhouse rhubarb.

The bruised apples and the winter rhubarb ran into some honey, cinnamon and vanilla, and turned into this pink, sweet-sour applesauce. Here it is.

rhubarb applesauce with vanilla and honey
8 apples, peeled, cored and diced
4 large rhubarb stalks, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey (depending on how much you love sour rhubarb flavour)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla paste

Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for an hour. If you like your applesauce very smooth, you can puree it at this point.

Breakfast time! Here's the applesauce with some granola and yogurt in a delicious parfait.