Do you know that kind of sour that makes your saliva glands ache a little and actually squirt just thinking about biting into something? It’s like, no you don’t want to eat that, but you can’t stop yourself! And there you are 3 seconds later... not wanting to take yet another bite. But you know you will! A little shiver goes down your spine and you can’t decide if it is from pleasure or pain!

Well that’s the kind of sour I have for you today. The sour kind of sour, that can only be described as hurts so goooood!

And look at these things, I have seen engagement rings with less sparkle and appeal!

So break through your barriers, put aside your fears, and let's take a journey on the sour side.

Pickled Rhubarb Rubies!

Rhubarb Day 2

On Day 1, I managed to pull off rhubarb tarts. It’s the classic treatment for rhubarb and the obvious introduction to this vegetable. Because it is a vegetable.

But today I want to go a whole other way. I am doing a savory treatment. I am doing an Herb Crusted Roast Pork Loin with Braised Spiced Rhubarb and Celery.

Rhubarb has a very strong sour tang. This makes it a great accompaniment to savory foods. Because, don’t forget. It is a vegetable (have I mentioned that?). A vegetable with a clean, somewhat earthy, tartness. Which makes a wonderful partner to robust cuts of meat like lamb or in this case, pork.

It can certainly hold up to big flavors like red onions, ginger, orange zest and red pepper. Still, even in savory treatments such as this, rhubarb always needs a bit of sugar to round out it's sour flavor. I’ll sweeten it just a touch with brown sugar and golden raisins.

But not every rhubarb is pie; so be careful. Overly sweet rhubarb can be cloying.  Celery will keep this recipe solidly on the savory side of the plate.