Rhubarb....

Map of the Rhubarb Triangle - image copyright Green Lane Allotments

Belated thanks for the image, and acknowledgement of copyright
Image by Flickr user net_efekt under Creative Commons

At this time of year, you will find rhubarb appearing in the shops. It will have been produced under forced conditions, (unless it is imported of course...) - English rhubarb is, of course, the best...

RHUBARB

The Daily Mail has a useful article on the Rhubarb Triangle, which was a favourite case study of Chris Durbin's.... (sadly our SLN conversations on the topic have disappeared....)

The unique vegetable - grown only by 12 producers in a 'rhubarb triangle' in West Yorkshire - has been granted Protected Designation of Origin status by the European Commission.

Producers now have the same geographical marketing protection afforded to more famous specialities such as Champagne, Parma ham, Cornish clotted cream and Roquefort cheese.

A really nice article on the BBC MAGAZINE site about the area known as the rhubarb triangle.

There is a good site by one of the producers: E Oldroyd and Sons (a great Yorkshire name) - it has details of their forcing shed tours. Just looking at the booking availability for a tour which I might try and organise the next time I'm up in Yorkshire. Have been round the sheds before - I used to pass through the area quite regularly as a student, and it's a really worthwhile experience...

Oh, and by the way, if you have a stained pan, boil up some rhubarb in it, and it will clean it up lovely....

UPDATE: Copyright image on map now updated - thanks to Green Lane Allotments 
Preparations for the 2011 harvest are presumably under way...