FROM MORMOR’S KITCHEN
FORBIDDEN SWEETNESS
Text+styling by Paul Lowe Photography by Alexandra Grablewski
Growing up we used to have a big, beautiful garden. It was
a bit bizarre as it was a hill garden, but my grandmother
and mother had turned the hill into something very pretty
with roses, fruit trees, and tons of rhubarb. How I loved
rhubarb when I was growing up! I would usually ask my
grandmother for a tin cup of sugar and I would dip the
rhubarb into it and eat. It was so good, but of course,
the worst thing for my teeth. Sugar and acid together–
not good.
rhubarb plant. I would sneak out and steal rhubarb, but
after my dad found cups of sugar under my bed, they put
a stop to it for good.
After I sulked for days, my grandmother told me
she would make me a treat. She cut up rhubarb and
strawberries and cooked them with water, sugar, lemon
juice, vanilla, and fresh basil. She called it Paul’s Sweet
Soup. It was amazing, and served chilled, all the flavors
became one.
I make this soup every summer. It’s perfect on a hot
summer day.
