Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable

A. Rhubarb is in fact a vegetable, one of the most unusual because it is eaten with sugar. The identity of rhubarb has vexed gardeners and chefs for years, so much so in fact, that a in 1947 a US court ruled it was a fruit.

It's considered a vegetable here as the edible stalks of the rhubarb plant grow from a sturdy rhizone (underground stem), and the best stalks are long, thin, vibrant pink and tender, and are the result of being force-grown in artifical darkness. The rhizone, buried underground, can survive hard frosts, which means rhubarb generally thrives in the UK.

Q. Where did it come from originally

A. It's not British, nor European, in fact, it came from China. Marco Polo first introduced it to Europe following his travels across China in the 13th century. He brought back the dry and powdered root, which is a powerful laxative, and not the edible stalks.

Rhubarb was first used in Britain in the 16th Century, again for medicinal purposes, not just as a laxative, it was thought to be a cure for venereal disease.

Q. When is it in season

A. Rhubarb is widely available in shops from about now. The most popular way to serve this winter crop is with stewed with custard, or baked in a pie. Try a traditional rhubarb pie with cream or ice cream.

You will need:

900g (2lb) of chopped and cleaned rhubarb

50-100g (2-4oz) sugar, depending on the sharpness of the rhubarb

Ready-made shortcrust pastry

beaten egg or milk for brushing

caster sugar

Method: prepare the rhubarb and fill a 2-pint pie dish with alternate layers of fruit and sugar. Begin and end with the rhubarb, and dome the fruit in the centre so it supports the pastry.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut into an oval or round 4cm wider than the top of the dish. Moisten the edges of the dish with the water. LIne with a strip of pastry cut from the trimmjings. Moisten the strip with water, then cover with the pastry lid. Press edges together to seal and trim any surplus pastry.

Brush with beaten egg or milk, and bake at 220C (425F/Mark7 ) for 15 minutes. Reduce to 180C (350F/Mark 4) for a further 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar.

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By Katharine MacColl