I feel like my Grandfather when I say this but ... when you pick rhubarb, do not use a knife. Grab the stalk near the base and pull/twist it away from the plant.
The reason I was told was : if you cut the rhubarb, the plant won't realize the stalk has been removed - so won't replace it and the exposed cut can rot down tot he root (killing the whole plant). If you twist it off, the plant will start putting energy into growing a new leaf.
https://gardentherapy.ca/harvest-rhubarb/
A simple recipe I like for rhubarb is stewed rhubarb.
Cut the rhubarb into small pieces, measure it and use a roughly 5:1 ratio of rhubarb to sugar. (You know how to cook, so adjust it to your taste). Put it in a saucepan on a medium low heat, add a couple spoonfuls of water (enough to help melt the sugar). Let it simmer until the rhubarb is the consistency you like.
Once you have the stewed rhubarb, eat it however you want. Smeared on toast instead of jam? Warm on vanilla ice cream? With yogurt and granola?
If you puree/strain it ... you now have a rhubarb infused simple syrup. Try it with gin or vodka. (Anywhere where you'd use bar lime, you can use it)
I had no idea! I have always just cut it and I haven’t noticed a problem because the rhubarb bush at homehome is huge 😅 Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate good and useful advice.
Stewed rhubarb is very delicious and I might have some use for the syrup too. Gin and rhubarb definitely isn’t a bad idea.
It's funny. I have a shelf in my freezer full of last years rhubarb - and it's time to pick more this year 🙄. I have a hard time finding people to give the rhubarb away to ... but ... if I make a batch of the simple syrup, I can give it away almost instantly. :-).
Relatively close to me is a place that makes their own ice cream ... They will essentially trade you home made ice cream for fresh rhubarb stalks. :-). https://themerrydairy.com/the-rhubarb-stalk-exchange/
It's a great way to get rid of the first crop of the season.
Never have I ever heard anyone say "I don't have enough rhubarb" if they have their own bush in the garden, so I get it :D Have you ever made rhubarb juice? Mom was just talking about it and I need to ask for the recipe because if I recall, it's not just rhubarb, water and sugar.
That ice cream thing sounds like a win-win to me.