A contract catering company that puts quality and freshness
first   The outlandishly coloured vegetable that thinks it's a
fruit. Rhubarb makes deliciously comforting puddings but its
sharpness works extremely well with meat and oily fish dishes
(the duck recipe below is a resounding success).  Forced rhubarb
(grown in the dark) has yellowish leaves and usually appears in
January. The field-grown variety replaces it around April and is
less tender but often more flavourful.   Rhubarb was used as a
medicine in ancient China. It was brought to Europe by Marco
Polo and has been eaten as a food since the eighteenth century.
Rhubarb is a member of the family Polygonaceae and is related to
sorrel. It grows best in cool climates and the effect of forcing
was discovered by accident at the Chelsea Physic Garden early in
the 19th century.   Choose crisp, firm, plump stalks with good
colour.  Kept in the fridge, fresh rhubarb will stay in
reasonable condition for 1-2 weeks. Raw and cooked rhubarb
freeze well.  Wash an