Asparagus has arrived!! When Barbara Kingsolver started her book Animal Vegetable Miracle by passionately describing the arrival of her first green asparagus stalk, I thought she was crazy. Now, I’ve joined in the crazy talk. I started jumping for joy when Jillian told me she spotted asparagus at the farmer’s market and I’ve been spreading the word to anyone who will listen.
This green veggie marks something oh-so-important for us seasonal eaters: the beginning of Spring as the Earth’s bounty opens its floodgates. So say goodbye to the endless potatoes and squash and get ready for smelly pee (unless you are one of the few lucky people who don’t have the smelly gene). Remember that asparagus has a very short growing season, from February to June with April being its prime month, so pick some up while you still can.
- How to Pick: Choose asparagus that have bright green stems and dark green tips. Look for the tips that are tightly closed and stand straight up (avoid droopy ones). Also check the cut ends and choose the bunch with the freshest looking ends.
- How to Store: Plan to eat within two days.Wrap the bottom of the stalks in a damp paper towel, place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Or fill a small vase or cup with an inch of water and store your stalks like you would a bouquet of flowers.
- How to Prepare: First break off the ends of each spear by snapping off the heavy end. If you hold your hand near the end and snap with the other hand, it will naturally break off in the right spot. Asparagus can be steamed, boiled, baked, grilled or sautéed. Or oven roast them in a 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, remembering to drizzle them with olive oil first. You can even buy a special asparagus pot that will help “perfectly steam” the stalks.
- Recipe Ideas: Indulge in some Beer-Battered Asparagus on Epicurious; Try Heidi’s Savory Asparagus Bread Pudding at 101 Cookbooks; Smitten Kitchen’s adaptation of an Asparagus, Artichoke and Shiitake Risotto from Gourmet; Cooking with Amy just posted a Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Arugula, and Avocado; and on Friday I’ll share my Asparagus, Roasted Red Pepper, and Goat Cheese Tart.
- Fun Fact: Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10″ in a 24-hour period!
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Good call, Christina! I just picked up some of this tonight at Whole Foods in Pac Heights. I was appalled to see the $3.00 price differential between regular locally-grown asparagus and organic (locally-grown) asparagus. I paid $5.99.
Your fruit/veggie/random ingredient write ups are so educational. Thanks for doing the homework for all of us. In the future, I’d be delighted to see something where you share prices. Like, exactly how much should asparagus cost?
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