She copied down this recipe for rhubarb crunch on an envelope post-marked June 19, 1981 (when a first class letter could be sent for 18 cents).
As I read this recipe, several questions came to mind. I wasn't sure I wanted to attempt it since I have already got a tried-and-true rhubarb crunch recipe and this one seems to be lacking some key details about the procedure. I wondered if that's because she already knew what to do and so she didn't need to write it all down. Here's the recipe, copied from the local radio station (KLTF), with a bit of random math in there between the title and the ingredient list:
I tried looking the recipe up online to see if I could get some additional guidance because I didn't think it made sense to simply mix everything together, as the directions almost seemed to imply.
I was pleased to find another blogger had a recipe for Farmhouse Rhubarb Crunch with nearly the same ingredient list. The first four ingredients are for the crumb topping, it became apparent, and the other ingredients are for the filling. The other recipe didn't have cornstarch, but I thought it would prevent the rhubarb from becoming too runny so I did include it. That proved to be a good choice.
I made a half a batch and baked it in a 6- by 10-inch pan. Here was my approach:
Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup quick oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup soft butter. Mix until the butter is well distributed and the mixture is crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form a thin crust. Reserve the other half for topping.
In a medium saucepan, simmer 2 cups chopped rhubarb, 1/2 cup sugar and a 1/4 cup water for 7 to 10 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft and starting to break down. Mix together 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch and then gradually stir this slurry into the simmering rhubarb. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for one more minute, until thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and then pour the hot mixture onto the crust. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the rhubarb mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping begins to brown and the sauce is bubbling. Cool to room temperature or serve slightly warm.
You can't go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
By the way, here's a tip from my sister Amanda that applies to fruit crisps in general: if on subsequent days your rhubarb crunch doesn't seem very crunchy anymore, you can run it under the broiler briefly to crisp it up again.