Goodness from the Kitchen

We had some leftover creme fraiche in the fridge, so couple of nights ago I started a batch of my own. Have you had creme fraiche before? It's very much like sour cream, but WAY better. Like yogurt and kefir and buttermilk, creme fraiche is a cultured dairy product. To make your own, simply combine equal parts store-bought creme fraiche and heavy cream. Leave it partially covered on the counter for 4-24 hours. Once it has thickened, it's ready. Cover and refrigerate. If you can resist finishing it all, reserve some to start your next batch.

We also had some rhubarb lurking in the veggie drawer. I had lots of plans for it, but hadn't yet made anything and it was in it's last days of usefulness. So, I used this quick and easy recipe for Rhubarb Poached in Jasmine Tea with Ginger. Instead of the fresh ginger called for in the recipe, I substituted chopped crystallized ginger. Also, I had less rhubarb than the recipe required, so I cut the whole thing back and somewhat approximated the quantities. It was delicious, but I think I used a bit too much ginger as it completely overshadowed the jasmine.

The recipe recommends chilling the cooked rhubarb for 3 hours before eating, and then serving it over vanilla ice cream or with mascarpone or sour cream. We couldn't wait three hours, so I scooped out a couple small bowls full and served them warm with little dollops of mascarpone. Quite lovely. The rest of the poached rhubarb went into the fridge and we ate it last night with my creme fraiche. Delicious! Either way, the rhubarb is fantastic.