Rhubarb tastes like summer to me, even more than fresh strawberries and Maine wild blueberries, though when those are in peak season, I'm sure I will say they taste like summer.  What can I say?  Summer tastes great around here.  But I have especially fond, early-summer memories of rhubarb that give it a special place in my heart.  And stomach.  When I was growing up, we had a huge rhubarb patch out back and my mom would always make a rhubarb pie and sometimes rhubarb jam. She rarely mixed it with strawberries, letting the bright tartness of the rhubarb shine through.  I always loved those rhubarb pies, and still do.  It helped that she let us eat pie for breakfast, so I suppose I have fond memories of most fruit pies.  But still, rhubarb was a particular favorite.