Rhubarb A Dieu?

We bid farewell to our last bunch of farmers market rhubarb.  With cooler weather returning to Minnesota I am hoping to collect more before summer's heat wilts the stalks woody and inedible. 

Rhubarb Pancakes
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup fine chopped rhubarb
Seeds from half a vanilla bean (optional) or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Coat rhubarb with sugar and vanilla seeds (or extract) and set aside.  Sift flour, powder, soda, and salt; add rhubarb-sugar mix.  In separate bowl beat together egg and buttermilk; add to flour and mix until just combined.  Add butter.

Cook on hot skillet prepared with cooking spray or oil.

Rhubarb-Vanilla-Maple Syrup
Combine good bit of chopped rhubarb, seeds from a vanilla pod (optional), and a generous pour of maple syrup.  Heat and simmer until rhubarb breaks up.  Serve immediately over hot pancakes.