So Simple, So Good, Gingery Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Strawberry-Rhubarb, the Spring Flavor Combo

It’s July, and it will soon be the end of strawberry and rhubarb season here. The local strawberries will be done for the year, closing the window on the best berries you’ll ever eat. My rhubarb plants are taking over the rear corner of my yard, but the experts say that it’s best to stop harvesting the stalks in early July, for the health of the plant. Even my vigorously spreading plants need to have some time to soak up sunshine and nutrients to hold the plant over winter. Taking a few here and there is still ok, just not half the plant.

This must be the reason that strawberries and rhubarb are paired, eternally joined by sharing the same harvest time. The combination works, because the tart rhubarb complements the sweet perfume of the berries.

If, like me, you want to make the most of what’s best right now, these Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumbles are for you. Pie is great, but takes more time. These individual pots of gingery filling with a crunchy crumble topping are the easiest way to bake a great dessert without breaking a sweat. Chop, stir, bake, it really is that simple.

I’m such a devotee of the crumble, that I really just throw them together from whatever fruit is in season. Sometimes I do them in a casserole, sometimes I make these little ones. I suppose these are a form of portion control, since each one has about a cup of filling. Top it with yogurt and it’s a respectable breakfast, top it with a scoop of non-dairy ice cream, and you have a memorable dessert.

If you have rhubarb in your garden, remember to taper off on the harvest in July. Here are some other recipes to make the most of the rosy stalks: Rhubarb Scones, Rhubarb Banana Blueberry Bread, or Roasted Rhubarb and Wild Rice Salad.

Strawberry- Rhubarb season comes but once a year, and we can celebrate it with a superb dessert, perfect for the lazy days of summer!