Farm-fresh asparagus

I picked up a pound of farm-fresh asparagus at a street market just three blocks from the White House (next to the Ronald Reagan Building) while at lunch today. Liz was just saying how much better it is. I also got a loaf of rustic-looking sourdough bread from the seller next to the asparagus stand. I expect we’ll have them tonight with some Costco Prime sirloin on the grill. I’ll have to see what's ready to drink from the cellar and may go for a cab since we’ve had a lot of Pinot lately. Happy Friday and Happy Mother's Day.

Let's see... asparagus sandwiches? asparagus with croutons? toast with asparagus pate?

Tis the season for asparagus here in the Northeast. One of the few vegetables of spring that are coming into the markets.

In the past weeks I've had them sauteed, steamed, roasted, in quiche, with penne, in ravioli, on pizza... So far so good!

My favorite way to eat spring asparagus is grilled so that the spears have lovely grill marks, then tossed with a bit of walnut oil, a teeny drop or two of browned sesame oil, fresh lemon, coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Picking the first spears from our garden tomorrow morning for breakfast. Steamed, plated on a crepe and topped with a poached egg and lots of that caviar I processed this winter. If the warmer weather hold we should be able to pick again in 4-5 days.

We've been eating asparagus from our garden for about two weeks now. Steamed mostly, with butter, maybe a little lemon, and whatever sauce accompanies the meat/fish course. Our asparagus patch is into its fifth year and producing nicely. 100% organic too, though that happened through chance and not deliberately.

[Jenise]

Picking the first spears from our garden tomorrow morning for breakfast. Steamed, plated on a crepe and topped with a poached egg and lots of that caviar I processed this winter. If the warmer weather hold we should be able to pick again in 4-5 days.

Sounds beautiful.

[Jenise]

Anybody ever find red or purple asparagus? Found a clump in a local farmstand market--just one bundle was all they had--and it was the sweetest asparagus I think I've ever eaten. And some of the spears were as fat as my big toe!

Jenise - I'm growing the red/purple kind with considerable success. And I agree, the spears are both fatter and sweeter than the green kind.

edit: The Miller catalog has it, www.millernurseries.com, 800-836-9630. They call it Purple Passion, 10 roots for $12.85.

[Jenise]

Jenise - I'm growing the red/purple kind with considerable success. And I agree, the spears are both fatter and sweeter than the green kind.

edit: The Miller catalog has it, http://www.millernurseries.com, 800-836-9630. They call it Purple Passion, 10 roots for $12.85.

Alan, thanks! I just called them, but it's already past closing. I'll try again on Monday. Actually, the asparagus I planted here already is semi-purple and quite sweet--it's just going to be too long till there's enough of it! And when Bill Spohn was here last weekend, he suggested that I should have planted twice the density. Thinking goes that yeah though what I planted will eventually fill in, life's short so why wait? Indeed, so I'm looking for more crowns and I think it's already too late here. Miller's is the perfect solution. Thanks!

Jenise, how many crowns did you plant of your asparagus? Millers won't ship Purple Passion to CA but Stark Bros will. I think I might try the purple asparagus.

Out riding my bike in rural Warren Co. NJ last weekend I passed through the little town of Johnsonburg and noticed beautiful bunches of asparagus for sale at a house. Luckily, I had a few dollars for refreshments; it turns out those three rear pockets on a cycling jersey are just the thing for the transport of asparagus bunches! Tasted as good as it looked.

[Jenise]

Jenise, how many crowns did you plant of your asparagus? Millers won't ship Purple Passion to CA but Stark Bros will. I think I might try the purple asparagus.

Nine.

Wonder what state laws allow or don't certain shipments? On the Miller Brothers site, I was salivating over a plum bush that would grow in beach sand, but they won't ship that to WA.

[Jenise]

Oh, Karen, forgot to answer your question. Nine. I bought three packages and each contained three crowns.

I've ordered nursery stock from both Miller and Stark, and always been satisfied with the quality of both.

I don't know all the reason's nurseries won't ship to some states, but in some cases it's to avoid importing pests. For example, it's illegal to ship currants to West Virginia because currants are a vector for white pine rust. WV is a major producer of Christmas trees, including white pine, and rust could decimate tree plantations.

I've had purple asparagus so fat that two spears was an adequate serving for an adult.

We just like to lightly steam the thin stalks and serve with JChild's Blender Hollandaise.

[Jenise]

Hey! Went to my favorite nursery yesterday and was shocked to find that of three asparagus crowns they have on hand because they're in demand and grow particularly well in our climate, Purple Passion was one. (The others were Jersey, which is what I planted already, and the common commercial variety Martha Washington.) 75 cents each.

We just like to lightly steam the thin stalks and serve with JChild's Blender Hollandaise.

Our fav sauce is also very simple - Sprinkle some soy sauce onto some mayo and stir it up. Add more of either one until you achieve that balance you like. This is especially good with barely cooked, cold asparagus.