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Strawberry Rhubarb Galette

Everyone has a preferred fruit, but not everyone will admit it. I have no secrets when it comes to food. Strawberries are my favorite summer fruit and this strawberry rhubarb galette is the perfect dessert to highlight beautiful summer berries.

The Truth About Strawberries

Most have no clue, but a strawberry is not a berry at all. Botanists call the strawberry a “false fruit,” or a pseudocarp. A strawberry is a multiple fruit that consists of many tiny individual fruits embedded in a fleshy receptacle. The brown or white specks, commonly thought of as seeds, are the true fruits, and they are called “achenes“.

The achenes are what make strawberries high in fiber. Surprising to hear, I know. According to the Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition, one-half cup of strawberries supplies more fiber than a slice of whole wheat bread, and more than 70 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

strawberry rhubarb galette

Strawberries in History

Cultivated strawberries are a hybrid of two different parent species. Because they are hybrids, cultivated strawberries are better able to adapt to extreme weather conditions and environments. California and Florida are the largest strawberry producers, despite strawberries being grown in all 50 states.

According to Wikipedia; the first known strawberry garden existed in Brittany, France, during the 18th century. Before this, wild strawberries and cultivated selections from wild strawberry species were the common source of the fruit. The strawberry was mentioned in ancient Roman literature the entire strawberry plant was commonly used for medicinal purposes, mainly to treat depression.

strawberry rhubarb galette

This strawberry rhubarb galette is one of my favorite easy summer desserts. The sweetness from the summer berries combined with the tartness of rhubarb has become an iconic flavor combination and one I adore. My strawberry rhubarb galette is lightly sweet and also a little tart, which is perfectly balanced by the flaky, buttery pastry that surrounds it. A galette is often confused with a tart, due to their vast similarities, but there is a slight distinction between the two which I must point out.

The difference Between Galettes And Tarts

A tart consists of a shallow, straight-sided pastry that is filled before or after baking and has no top crust. To make a tart you use a scalloped edge tart pan or ring mold on a baking sheet. Tarts can be round, rectangular, square, or miniature. While older cookbooks define “tart” as the French term for “pie“, today we make a distinction between the two, using pie to refer to a deeper-dish pastry with sloped sides and often, but not always, a top crust.

A galette has a looser definition that is tied to the French word “galet”, meaning a smooth, flat pebble. By definition, any flat, round pastry or cake-like creation can be classified as a galette. Today, however, the term galette is used mainly to refer to a more rustic, free-form tart made with a single crust of pastry. What I love about galettes is they invite a creative interpretation and allow for an individualistic freedom. In other words, anything, sweet or savory, can work.

strawberry rhubarb galette

To me, summer is the galette-making season. Ripe, flavorful fruits of all kinds are in abundance. Galettes are effortless preparation and result in a beautiful dessert, perfect for an impromptu dinner in the backyard with family or friends. We still have a few more weeks of beautiful summer weather, take advantage of it any way you can.

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

2 thoughts on "Strawberry Rhubarb Galette"

  1. Avatar photo Elsie says:

    Amazing recipe! Appreciate all your professional knowledge as a chef!❤️

    1. Thank you so much for your lovely words and taking the time to reach out! This is a favorite recipe of mine, super easy and seasonal.

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