Updated June 8, 2009

Elsa's Rhubarb Bread

Sent in by Kathy. She and Bryan lived on Ohio Avenue from 1997-2001, next door to Elsa Fagerstrom, who lived on Ohio Avenue for a long time before passing away in early 2003.

Kathy and Bryan miss the Ohio Avenue Block Party so much they started one of their own in Colorado, where they live with their son, Oskar. Kathy writes, "I was just writing about how great the Ohio Ave block party was and stumbled across your website an page about Elsa.

"We miss Elsa terribly. She was a great neighbor and I remember when we first moved in, in our excitement to build a garden, Bryan accidentally dug up all the rhubarb plants in our back yard. Luckily as our 35 tomato plants grew, so did the rhubarb but poor Elsa! (and poor Bryan when she told him!)

"So, in light of that, I hereby send you Elsa’s Rhubarb Bread recipe, which I still have written in Elsa’s own hand & still cherish. Man – could that woman bake! :)

"I have been meaning to plant some rhubarb, but I have never seen any plants and wonder if it is too dry out here. I’ve got to try though & bake it for an upcoming block party."

Elsa’s Rhubarb Bread

1 1/2 c brown sugar
2/3 c oil
1 egg
1 c sour milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c finely cut rhubarb

Mix well & pour into greased pans
Bake 35 – 45 minutes

And Elsa added the note:
“You can use nuts if you like.
I use 2 5x9 pans or one large one”

"According to my mother-in-law, you can make sour milk by adding 1 tsp lemon juice to 1/2 cup milk and letting it sit 5 min before using," Kathy notes.