National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day (June 9th)

Rhubarb and strawberries make an amazing combination! While the strawberries are sweet, the rhubarb provides a deliciously sour complement that offers a balance and tasty complexity. And when these two are combined and put together in a pie? Well, there’s nothing quite like it. 

It’s time to celebrate and enjoy National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day!

History of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

While everyone knows what strawberries are – and most people enjoy eating them – rhubarb is a bit more of an obscure ingredient. Technically a vegetable, rhubarb is stalky and red, often growing prolifically and offering an early harvest compared to many other garden items. Its slightly sour taste makes it a little odd to be eaten on its own, but when paired with strawberries and baked, it’s just delicious!

Originating in Europe (Germany and UK), the rhubarb pie was introduced to the United States in the late 18th century. It’s unclear when the addition of strawberries came about, but just like many fruit pies, the strawberry rhubarb pie is traditionally either made with two crusts, or with a bottom crust and a lattice crust top.

Though most pies don’t need a special day to be enjoyed, National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day offers a delectable reason to show appreciation for and pay attention to this yummy summer pie. Plus, since the rhubarb season in many climates ranges from April until July, and strawberries are usually coming in between May and July, this is the perfect time of year to celebrate National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day!

How to Celebrate National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Enjoy a deliciously sweet slice of pie in celebration of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day. Check out some of these other ideas for observing the day as well:

Try Making Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When there’s a bumper crop of rhubarb, it’s the perfect time to try baking this delightful dessert. Those who want to take a shortcut might consider using a pre-made refrigerated pie crust to cut down on the preparation time. The rest of the pie is fairly easy to make, with cut rhubarb stalks, sliced strawberries, some sugar, orange zest and a few other ingredients. Mix the filling, put it into the crust, top with a second crust and bake. Yum!

Those who are short on time or are feeling intimidated by the idea of working with pie crust might want to consider cheating a little and making a strawberry rhubarb crisp instead. The filling ingredients are basically the same, but instead of a pie crust, the dish is covered in a crumbly oat and cinnamon topping that is also super tasty!

Learn Health Benefits of Rhubarb

Though strawberry rhubarb pie has a lot of sugar, it does have some redeeming qualities since the rhubarb is a vegetable. Consider some of these Health benefits of rhubarb in honor of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day:

• Rich in antioxidants
• Lowers bad cholesterol
• Aids with digestion
• Filled with nutrients (Vitamins C, K, A, Potassium, Calcium, and more)