“Never rub another man's rhubarb”

“Never rub another man's rhubarb” The Joker

What the heck is a rhubarb? In baseball, it’s a big bench-clearing brawl. Throughout the ages, confusion has reigned about which part to utilize. In the 1940’s, U.S. Customs, didn’t know exactly what this stuff that people were importing from the old world was, so they decided it could be classed as fruit or veggie depending on how it was used. It is often classed as a vegetable, being a close relative of sorrel and looking like a blushing celery stalk. The roots were used as a purgative medicine, for which they are very capable. Later the leaves were eaten like spinach, but not too often since they contain high concentrates of oxalic acid and are deadly in much quantity.
As sugar became more readily available throughout the world, rhubarb came to be used more as a food, lending its tartness to pies and preserves. In the 19th century, the British finally discovered the tart piquancy of the stems and mixed them with ginger and baked them in a pie (instead of four and twenty blackbirds). Soon thereafter, the pie made its way to the American colonies and berries, most notably the strawberry, replaced the ginger; June 9 is National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day.
From whence cometh the rhubarb? The name is derived from “Rha of the barbarians”; the Rha is the river now called the Volga where barbarians first cultivated it. It will not grow from seeds, but only from root cuttings, like potatoes, which indicates that it is a hybrid. Rhubarb is grown in hothouses nearly year-round; field grown it is harvested in the spring and fall. It grows best in temperate zones and likes a good freeze to stimulate the buds.
So, why all the hubbub about rhubarb? Because, among other things, it is a prime ingredient in the world renowned "Bee-bop-a-ree-bop Rhubarb Pie", which Mama’s little baby loves.

Momma’s little baby loves rhubarb, rhubarb, Be-Bop-A-Re-Bop Rhubarb Pie! Garrison Keillor

June 9th is National Strawberry-Rhubarb Day International

Festivals:
http://www.savor-the-rhubarb.com/rhubarb-festivals.html Links to many Rhubarb Festivals, including: Kankakee Festival, Illinois; Kitchen Kettle Village Rhubarb Festival, Intercourse, Pennsylvania USA;