Port Rhubarb and Apple Crisp

 Rhubarb was the first plant in my garden that could be picked this year.  Last weekend as part of our goodbye winter dinner, we made a rhubarb and apple crisp using an open bottle of port, that had probably been in the fridge a little too long, to supplement the sweetener.  At dinner we had a conversation about whether it was a  crisp, crumble or a cobbler, and eventually decided on 'crisp' because the topping did not use flour as you would in a pastry,  but rather, was coarser with an oat base and not crumby. After doing some research, I think we weren't too far off the mark.  I liked Canadian Living's approach which suggests that it really doesn't matter, call it whatever you like, however I found a more precise explanation on OChef that I also found useful.

The desert was a success, with the help of a generous scoop of Mad River Co, Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream.  I think this is the best vanilla ice cream ever. The only place that I know of, that I can buy it, and only sporadically, is at the 100 Mile Store in Creemore.

Port Rhubarb and Apple Crisp

serves 4
heat oven to 350F

• 4 stocks of rhubarb, cut into 1" pieces
• 2 apples cut into bite some chunks
• 1/4 cup of port
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

topping

• 1 cup of oats
• 1/4 up of butter
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Mix the rhubarb, apples, sugar and spices, and port together in a bowl, and put in small loaf pan or serving sized containers that can go in the oven.  Prepare the topping, next.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon with the oats.  Cut in the butter, and press into flat pieces and cover the fruit.  Bake at 350F for 20 minutes for individual portions, or 30 minutes for larger pan, or until juices are bubbling.  Serve warm with ice cream.