Nina Mukerjee Furstenau has always understood food as more than sustenance. To her, it is identity, heritage, and a bridge between cultures.
Raised in Kansas, she grew up immersed in the flavors of her parents’ homeland of northern India, and watching dough transform into delicate luchis and experiencing the sensory world of spices in her mother’s kitchen. That early exposure shaped her life’s work as a journalist and food writer, exploring how what we eat tells the story of who we are.
Now, with her latest book, The Pocket Rhubarb Cookbook, Furstenau takes an unexpected yet fitting turn into the world of cookbooks. While best known for her lyrical food narratives — such as Green Chili and Other Impostors and Biting Through the Skin: An Indian Kitchen in America’s Heartland — this project allowed her to be laser-focused on one easily overlooked ingredient: rhubarb.
The Unexpected Allure of Rhubarb
The opportunity to write The Pocket Rhubarb Cookbook came from a publisher, who saw the potential for a book celebrating this tart, vibrant ingredient. Though it was a slight departure from Furstenau’s usual deep dive into food culture, she was intrigued.
“I think rhubarb has a lot of history for people in the Midwest and anywhere it migrated,” she says. “That story, tied to so much history over the Silk Road and beyond, was fascinating to me. Plus, I just really like sour spring pie.”
Rhubarb may be best known for its role in desserts, but Furstenau’s research uncovered its incredible versatility. The book explores rhubarb’s place in both sweet and savory dishes, from classic pies to lamb stew and even creative cocktails.
“I tested a recipe for Nina’s latest cookbook that was creative and delicious. I made Lamb Stew with Rhubarb. I have not cooked very much with rhubarb in the past and was delighted to be able to try this out,” said recipe tester, Lynn Rossy, who studies energy medicine and mindful eating.
For those eager to introduce rhubarb to their kitchens, Furstenau offers a simple yet delightful recipe: Rhubarb Honey Bread. With its tender crumb and tangy-sweet balance, it’s an approachable way to start baking with rhubarb.
Recipe: Rhubarb Honey Bread
Makes one loaf (12 slices)
Ingredients:
• 2 cups diced, fresh or frozen-thawed rhubarb
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup whole milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
• 1 cup sugar, + 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with oil and line with parchment paper. Dice rhubarb and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, oil, sugar, and vanilla, until smooth. Add baking powder and salt, then fold in the flour, not over-mixing. Fold in the rhubarb. Using a rubber spatula, spread the mixture into the loaf pan. Smooth top. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the surface of the batter. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until firm when lightly touched on top and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without raw batter. Cool for 15 minutes, remove from pan to cool on a cooling rack. If you are not using parchment paper, let the bread cool in the pan.
“People who are tempted by delicious flavors or want fun, easy ways to use rhubarb more frequently will love it,” Furstenau says. “It’s easy to freeze and use in all seasons.”
A Life of Food and Storytelling
Furstenau’s path to becoming a food writer was anything but accidental. Her love for food and storytelling has shaped her career, from winning the MFK Fisher Book Award to teaching food journalism at the University of Missouri. She has even worked on global food projects, such as creating a low-literacy cookbook for smallholder female farmers to help combat childhood stunting.
“I write about identity and belonging,” Furstenau explains. Her work illuminates how food crosses cultural boundaries, connecting people through shared flavors and traditions.
Fellow writer Jill Orr, who has been in a writing group with Furstenau for over a decade, describes her passion: “She looks at what’s on someone’s plate and wants to know not only where the food came from but why it’s there. Nina is so passionate about food and food story, that it is impossible not to get swept up in it yourself when you read her work.”
That curiosity has driven Furstenau’s past books, such as Green Chili & Other Impostors, which examines how foods move across the world, often under the shadow of colonialism. Her latest academic work, Food & Culture, 8th Edition, is used in university classrooms to educate future nutritionists and food scholars. Her upcoming book, Peaches!, set for release in 2026, promises to be a love letter to another beloved fruit, filled with recipes highlighting its seasonality and charm.
The Power of Paying Attention
Beyond cookbooks and food histories, Nina’s current passion project is more introspective. She’s working on a narrative exploring the relationship between the seasons, nature, and the power of attention.
“In the middle of all that’s happening, attention seems like a good tool to have,” she says. “I am an enthusiastic witness of what’s around me in our Midwest and how we experience it. So many changes are underfoot.”
Unsurprisingly, someone who has spent her life studying food as a cultural and sensory experience would turn her focus to the world outside her window. Furstenau’s work reminds us that paying attention — to ingredients, traditions, and the shifting seasons — can be a profound act.
With The Pocket Rhubarb Cookbook, she offers readers a new way to engage with a humble yet historic ingredient. Whether it’s through a simple loaf of Rhubarb Honey Bread or a deep exploration of food history, Furstenau’s writing continues to nourish and connect us all.
The Pocket Rhubarb Cookbook is available at Skylark Bookshop in Columbia, online booksellers, and directly from Nina’s website.
