Springtime Rhubarb Cake

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Rhubarb ready to harvest.

Long time no posting from me . . . my gardens and yard have just kept me so busy. Plus a little mini-trip to the beach to de-stress was in order.

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So I last promised that I would bake a spring cake for Mother's Day, made with rhubarb that I harvested from my garden. This recipe is one that my mama makes for family get-togethers and it is always devoured! It is made with strawberry jello, lots of sugar, and marshmellows in order to sweeten up the bitter rhubarb and then it is topped with a dry yellow cake mix for a 'streusel' effect. I hope that you try this and enjoy with creamy vanilla ice cream on top!

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Cut leaves off rhubarb stalks -- compost the leaves

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Cut rhubarb into 1/2" pieces

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Rhubarb Cake .

4 cups rhubarb, cut up into 1/2" to 1" pieces

1 cup sugar
1 large box strawberry jello

2 cups mini marshmellows

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup water

1 stick of butter, cut into thin slices (for covering the top)

1 yellow cake mix.
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Spread the first 4 ingredients in a 12" x 9" baking dish.

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Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top to cover

Add cut up pieces of butter and the nuts, scattering evenly on the top of the dry cake mix!!!! DON'T FORGET THE BUTTER!

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Pour the water evenly over all ingredients.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
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Have lots of vanilla ice cream (or gelato) on hand to serve with the cake!


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FREE Taste of Italian Spring in SC and other areas of USA

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I just read this from a fellow "Twitter" pal:

March 20, 2009 from SCnow.com:
The first day of spring is marked with a free Italian ice in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina and other parts of the U.S. Rita’s Italian Ice is giving out a free regular size Italian ice today. Each year hundred of thousands of guests turnout across the U.S. for the First Taste of Spring. This is the 17th year Rita’s giving away the free Italian ice, and this is the first time it’s being held in Florence.

Rita’s also asks everyone who stops by to donate a canned food or non perishable item to the Manna House. The giveaway continues until 10 tonight!

Sounds delicioso! ANDIAMO!

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Have a Gratitude Filled St. Joseph's Day!

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Buona Festa di San Giuseppee !!

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.aAn immense St. Joseph's Day Altar in New Orleans, LA, USA

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On March 18th (today), Italians everywhere celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph. It is a day that involves a lot of food preparation for large dinners. In many Catholic parishes, Italians assemble a St. Joseph's Altar where a variety of foods are laid in thankfulness.
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Here is a link for a virtual St. Joseph's Altar:

http://www.thankevann.com/stjoseph/
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Well the fun and festivities around the globe for St. Patrick's Day have come and gone. And today a very little known feast day is observed among Italians and Italian-Americans. It is a quiet form of tribute, but it is still very meaningful. On this day Italians give thanks for prosperity, fulfilled promises, and/or to simply share with those who are less fortunate. Here is a brief explanatory background of this feast day:

In Italy this day is known as "La Festa di San Giuseppe". St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Sicily and in many American-Italian communities. On this day people show their gratitude to St. Joseph because: In the Middle Ages, there was a servere drought, so the people prayed to St. Joseph for rain with an oath to honor him with a large feast if their prayers were answered. The skies opened up with rain, a famine was prevented, and the people of Sicily kept their promise by preparing a massive banquet for St. Joseph. Everyone participated, including the needy.

The good news does not stop there. On this day, it is still tradition for Italians to give food to the poor and needy, in addition to placing fava beans (the crop that helped prevent starvation during the drought) on altars created for St. Joseph.
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The altar is commonly 3 tiers high to represent the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and is covered with white linen fabric. Flowers, limes, wine, cakes, cookies, breads, candles, and a special Sicilian pastry called "Zeppole" are also placed on the altars. No meats or meat-filled dishes are allowed on the altars or to eat meat during the dinner, because the feast takes place during Lent. Bread crumbs are commonly used in some of the recipes in order to represent saw dust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Many people will wear red.

A very special food made by Italians is called "Cuccadati" which are beautiful bread loaves that are decorated in designs symbolic of a crown of thorns or other spiritual symbols of the Church. These cover latticework known as La Vastedde, along with lemons, limes, oranges, bay leaves, and myrtle branches.

In the United States, St. Joseph is honored in larger metropolitan cities where there is a high population of Italians. . . New Orleans, especially, because it is the port where many Sicilians entered America. Buffalo, NY, New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City also have public and private St. Joseph's altars constructed. A parade also takes place in New Orleans.

Here is a link to a very good discussion and beautiful photos of St. Joseph's Day altars:

http://annachupa.com/StJo/index.html

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