I LOVE this time of the year, when the daffodils are in full bloom, the days are getting warmer and longer, and summer starts to tease us with delicious ingredients like rhubarb popping up out of the ground.

Rhubarb, which is rich in vitamin C and dietary fibre, is actually a vegetable and a member of the sorrel family. It is so unique in flavour, yet versatile, finding itself being made into jams, jellies, chutneys, sauces, wine, not to mention cakes, pastries and muffins too.

Last year, I made some divine rhubarb flavoured vodka - needless to say it is long gone now - but this weekend I plan to get started on the next batch. Just crush or liquidise two large trimmed stalks of rhubarb (base and top of the stalk removed) and place it in a large kilner jar, or something similar, with 75g of sugar.

Leave to ferment for two days, then add two cloves, a 6cm piece of cinnamon stick, the grated zest of one small lemon and one litre of vodka. Leave it in a cool place for three weeks, shaking the jar daily to dissolve the sugar and mix up the juices.

Three weeks later, pour the mixture through a sieve, or filter through muslin and pour into a sterilised bottle. You can start to drink it now but it will even improve if you leave it for another couple of weeks .Enjoy it on the rocks, or with tonic, soda or freshly squeezed orange juice added to it, and sit with your feet up and watch the sun set.

Rhubarb is perfect for putting into a simple tart instead of apples (try replacing it for the apples in the Irish apple cake recipe from last weeks article), or for poaching in a basic stock syrup to serve with whipped cream or custard. I sometimes add sliced strawberries to poached rhubarb, or it can be mashed with a little of the poaching syrup and added to whipped cream to make rhubarb fool.

� If you love rhubarb then make the most of it now, and put chopped-up stalks in bags in the freezer for future tarts, jams or cocktails.

Rhubarb vodka cocktail Serves 4 This recipe was created one Saturday night at home a couple of weeks ago when the first of the rhubarb appeared in the shops. It is delicious, and unlike the amazing rhubarb-flavoured vodka (above) it can be made in minutes.

250g finely sliced rhubarb (about two medium to large stalks) 100g sugar 50ml water 200ml vodka (or white rum) 75ml lime juice 200ml freshly squeezed orange juice (juice of two large oranges) About one cup of ice Put four cocktail glasses (like martini glasses) in the freezer. Put the rhubarb, sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Allow to boil for a few minutes until the rhubarb has broken down to a mush. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

When it is cool, add the vodka, lime juice and the orange juice. Shake in a cocktail shaker or stir in a jug with the ice, then strain (leaving the ice behind) into the chilled glasses.

Rhubarb and custard tart Serves 6 Rhubarb and custard is such a great combination, and I love making it into a tart. If you really don't want to have a pastry case here, you could bake the rhubarb with the custard in little ramekins in a bain-marie in the moderate oven - they would only take about 18-20 minutes to cook.

For the pastry:

150g plain flour 25g icing sugar 100g butter One egg For the filling:

Four egg yolks Four generous tbsp honey (about 100g) 300ml cream 225g rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 2cm lengths (if the stalks are very big, cut them in half lengthways first) You will need a 23cm shallow tart tin with a removeable base.

Preheat the oven to 180�C, gas 4. First make the pastry. Put the plain flour and the icing sugar in a bowl or a food processor. Rub in the butter (or whizz in the processor), then whisk the egg and add most of it (but you probably won't need it all) to make it come together to make a pastry dough. Add a tablespoon of water to the egg to make egg wash, and reserve for later.

Flatten out the pastry into a round and cover, then put in the fridge (or the freezer if you are stuck for time) for about half an hour (or 10 minutes in the freezer) until chilled. Roll out the pastry thinly(about 4mm thick) into a round so that it will line the base and sides of the tin. I usually roll the pastry between two sheets of clingfilm for ease and convenience.

When you have rolled the pastry transfer it into the tin, trim the edges and bake blind (by placing a sheet of parchment paper in the base and up the sides, then filling the pastry case with baking beans, or raw dried beans) in the moderate oven for 10 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and brush the base of the pastry with the reserved egg wash, then pop it back in the oven for four or five more minutes, until the pastry feels dry on the base.

Next make the filling. Whisk the yolks with the honey, add the cream and mix.

Arrange the slices in the pastry case, then pour the custard over the rhubarb.

Transfer carefully to the oven (I sometimes pour the last of the custard while it is sitting in the oven so I don't spill it) and bake for 30 minutes or until just set.

Cool to room temperature before serving.

Rhubarb muffins Makes 10 muffins 125g light brown sugar 25ml sunflower oil One egg One tsp vanilla extract 125ml buttermilk 100g finely diced rhubarb 150g flour One level tsp baking powder One level tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch of salt Topping:

50g light brown sugar 15g butter, melted Preheat oven to 200�C, gas 6. Place 10 paper muffin cases sitting in a muffin tray.

In a large bowl, put the brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk. Beat until well mixed.

Add the rhubarb and mix. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt, and stir until all ingredients are mixed. Do not overstir. Fill muffin cases three-quarters full with batter. Quickly combine topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of batter in each muffin case.

Bake in preheated oven on the centre shelf for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the muffin tray and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Rhubarb and ginger jam Makes 3 or 4 jars This is such a gorgeous and very simple jam to make. It is divine on bread or toast or even crumpets.

900g rhubarb, trimmed and sliced 900g sugar 100ml water Three tsp finely grated ginger 75ml lemon juice BOOK OF THE WEEK Fruit, from Salads to Tarts, by Brian Glover, published by Ryland, Peters & Small, is a gorgeous book with great recipes for everything from rhubarb clafoutis to fruity lamb stew with basil and coriander