The Bermuda Triangle is all very well and good, but it is hardly a boon to mankind. I’m sure giant squid surfacing and dragging passing shipping into Davy Jones’ locker is very exciting if you are into that sort of thing, but give me Yorkshire’s Rhubarb Triangle any day of the week.
Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield mark the corners of the world famous Rhubarb Triangle (what do you mean you’ve never heard of it). Throughout the area the plant is grown in special forcing sheds and kept in perpetual darkness in order to enhance the flavor - a bit like veal, only with vegetables.
Rhubarb’s finest hour was in the second world war, where due to rationing children were often given a sprig along with a bag of sugar in lieu of sweets or chocolate. The plant was also frequently used to cut with more scarce fruits in order to bulk up recipes. There was even a factory in Bradford which produced wooden replica raspberry pips to place in rhubarb jam to fool the public that they were getting the pure stuff.
Unfortunately I learnt all this too late to attend the annual Wakefield Rhubarb festival. But I shall be their next year - waving my rhubarb stick above my head with pride.
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