Rhubarb first arrives from greenhouses here. The leaves are an awkward yellow and the stems are a thin, brilliant pink. It's too cold to be grown outside then, but even still it brings with it the feeling of spring. In
Chez Panisse Fruit, Alice Waters writes that,
rhubarb is the vegtable bridge between tree fruits of winter and summer, and I've always liked that. I love the idea that it's a vegetable that carries us to the glory of spring. We made rhubarb the topic of our day a couple months ago now. It was once winter had ended but spring had yet to really begin. When the days were still short, but starting to get longer. When the winter light still lingered but the bright of spring was just peeking in. When I was longing to throw away my woollen socks. See you soon. xo, N
PS: This tart is a bit of a doozy by way of steps, but it's worth it. It's not hard perse, just a little labour intense. You can make the dough and the rhubarb a day ahead, you could even bake the crust a day ahead if you wanted, just be sure to store it in a airtight container. The crust is a traditional Pâte Sucrée from
Michel Roux, the Panna Cotta is from
David Lebowitz and the
rhubarb is a slight adaptation from MSL. And you can find a rectangle tart pan
here. Please also note, you will likely find you have leftovers of each component of this recipe. The rhubarb if there is any left, is great for snacking on, but won't keep well for more than a day or so. The remaining tart dough can be well wrapped and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week (it freezes well too). And the panna cotta should be set in a small ramekin or dish and served within a couple days. tara's
danishes this
photo this bakery in
montreal these
violet caramels are delicious, find them
here the feeling of
summer this
beach towel (
via) this
necklace photos:
michael graydon +
nikole herriott 
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