Hold the custard! 17 ways with rhubarb – from perfect muffins to pink gin

The tartness of rhubarb is the whole point, and there are some excellent, unexpected ways to use it, whether you fancy a sweet-and-sour soup or a lovely crumble

When I was growing up in the US, people sometimes spoke of rhubarb - they seemed mildly amused by the word - but no one I knew ever ate it. I don't think I'd ever really seen any until I came to the UK, where - from my point of view, at least - people got a little too excited about the annual arrival of this pink dessert celery.

Rhubarb is a vegetable masquerading as fruit, and as such requires a bit of sugar to make it palatable. But not too much: the tartness of rhubarb is the whole point. I was converted to it through its two most traditional incarnations: rhubarb fool and rhubarb crumble. Sometimes, the former is made with custard, but I prefer Felicity Cloake's straight double cream version, with just a little added yoghurt, not least because it's easier. Her perfect crumble is similarly unassailable. And custard is very much required.