Rhubarb is no wallflower. It nearly never stands alone.

Too sour to eat by themselves, rhubarb’s raw, pink-red ombré stalks require cooking and accompaniment. Even then, the lip-puckering “pie plant” is usually paired with berries or fruit – not to mention sugar – to sweeten it up.

Serena Thompson of Green Bluff carries on her mother-in-law’s tradition and turns it into rhubarb crunch, complete with a thick, sugar-syrup drizzle.

Thompson, 44, is a contributing editor at “Country Living” magazine and founder of The Farm Chicks Show, an upcoming antiques and crafts fair.

She shares her mother-in-law’s beloved recipe in the next Spokesman-Review Food section. Meantime, here are some photos for a sneak peek.