Why should the bottles first be closed only with a cotton plug?

Because the rhubarb stalks soak up some of the water during the first day. The next day you top up with more water, cork properly and seal the bottles.

What do I do if the water is hard or of poor quality?

Then the water should be boiled and cooled completely before it is poured over the stalks. Otherwise, use fresh, cold water directly.

How should the bottles be stored?

In the dark. If the cellar is too light, wrap the bottles. All stalks must also be covered by water, otherwise they may grow moldy or change color.

What can the water-preserved rhubarb be used for?

According to Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), for porridge, soup, jam, marmalade and more.

Rhubarb in Water

Name: Rhubarb in Water
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 24 h
Total time: 24 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: rhubarb stalks (peeled); fresh, cold water (hard or poor water is boiled and cooled completely)

Rhubarb in water (Erken 1914): rhubarb stalks are peeled, cut into 3 cm pieces split lengthwise, placed in bottles and covered with cold water. Corked loosely the first day, topped up with water the next day, corked and sealed, stored dark. Used for porridge, soup and jam.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 597 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The simplest form of rhubarb preservation before freezers existed: the stalks were placed in bottles with cold water. Erken reminds us that the stalks are later used for porridge, soup, jam and marmalade.

How to make it

1
Cut the stalks
Peel the stalks and cut them into 3 cm long pieces. Split the pieces lengthwise into 2 to 4 parts depending on thickness.
2
Fill the bottles
Place the stalks in bottles and pour over fresh, cold water. Hard or poor water should be boiled and cooled completely first.
3
Loose cork the first day
Cork the bottles for now only with a loose cotton plug, since the stalks soak up some of the water.
4
Top up and cork
The next day top up with more water, and cork and seal the bottles. Stalks not covered by water easily grow moldy or change color.
5
Storage
Set the bottles in the dark. If the cellar is too light, wrap the bottles. The stalks are later used for porridge, soup, jam and marmalade.

Changes from the original

No ingredient list in the original; it has been set up with rhubarb and water. The method is broken into numbered steps in modern Norwegian. "Cotton cork" explained as a loose cotton plug.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the bottles first be closed only with a cotton plug?: Because the rhubarb stalks soak up some of the water during the first day. The next day you top up with more water, cork properly and seal the bottles.
What do I do if the water is hard or of poor quality?: Then the water should be boiled and cooled completely before it is poured over the stalks. Otherwise, use fresh, cold water directly.
How should the bottles be stored?: In the dark. If the cellar is too light, wrap the bottles. All stalks must also be covered by water, otherwise they may grow moldy or change color.
What can the water-preserved rhubarb be used for?: According to Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), for porridge, soup, jam, marmalade and more.

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