I love Asparagus, whether fresh or canned, or green, purple or white. And I just recently discovered that asparagus seems to resonate with people and their likes and dislikes, much the same way as do brussels sprouts. Asparagus falls into the “love it or hate it” food category.
I had mentioned I was cooking cream of asparagus soup for the soup and salad luncheon at the Senior Center in Scotts Valley last week and the gentleman I was talking with immediately said that he wouldn’t be attending; that he did not like, nor would he eat asparagus. I was surprised thinking that everyone liked asparagus…why wouldn’t they, I thought.
Loading my car with cooking paraphernalia after that luncheon, another gentleman who comes to the luncheons regularly, wanted me to know, that even though he thought he disliked asparagus, that soup was one of the best soups he had ever eaten, and two ladies asked if I might email the recipe to them.
In the late 1950s as I was learning the ins and outs of cooking for my growing family, canned asparagus was on my table often. Asparagus was the only canned vegetable that had “Open at Other End” on the labels’ top. This instruction was to “protect” the delicate ends of the asparagus spears as they came sliding out of the can.
I do remember opening a can of asparagus and immediately throwing it away, only to learn later that this was a very expensive can of asparagus, priced high for the way it was grown and harvested. Because the spears were pure white in color, I thought they had spoiled in the can. Today, my Dungeness Crab Louie salad is always served with a few spears of those prized white asparagus spears alongside.
Asparagus thrives in salty soils near the coastal regions of California, Washington and in Michigan. Of the countries, China grows the most asparagus.
Asparagus festivals are held in Germany and the Netherlands, and here in California, Stockton holds its annual festival, where tons of asparagus is grown along the banks of the Delta region.
Why, we ask, do we pay so much for that green “bunch” of 36-40 spears of asparagus? It takes three years of planting, weeding, cultivating and fertilizing before the first spears are harvested for commercial use.
The roots are planted in open furrows dug 18 inches deep. As the new shoots grow to 2 inches high, they are covered with a few inches of soil. This continues for two years, meanwhile weeding and fertilizing the “beds” must be continued by the grower before he is finally paid for his work.
A field of mature asparagus looks very strange indeed. Only spears emerging sticking straight up with no greenery surrounding.
I saw asparagus this year, what I call “green gold,” being sold at $7.99 per bunch. Today the first harvest of pencil-sized spears was $4.99 per bunch. Surprisingly, these small spears are prone to be more “woody” than the larger.
White asparagus is seldom seen in our markets. This asparagus has never seen the light of day.
Each time the asparagus begins to show above the dirt mound, it is immediately covered with dirt. This continues until ready to harvest, and then that occurs at night under artificial lighting. Thus, the high price in our markets.
Purple asparagus is just that…purple. Seldom seen in regular markets, purple passion is mostly grown in specialty and farmer’s markets. Purple Passion is sweeter than green and has a nutty flavor much like an artichoke.
My method of cooking asparagus is to snap off the lower tough stem and then lightly peel each spear. I steam the asparagus until the spear softens and is bendable.
If you wish to boil your asparagus, add a pinch of baking soda to the water bath and the asparagus will keep its bright green color.
If your family doesn’t like asparagus, take your chances by making the asparagus soup recipe that I have added below. I doubt any of them would not eat that bowl of deliciousness. If they don’t, this recipe freezes well for you to enjoy yourself.
Cream of Asparagus Soup
In a large soup pot add:
2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cup diced onions
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. ground thyme
1 large bunch of asparagus spears (36-40)
Cut asparagus into 1 in. pieces. Set top of spears aside.
Sauté the above together until soft, about 15 minutes. Do NOT brown.
In 2 cups of hot water add 1/4 cup of Chicken flavor Better than Bullion Stock.
Add to the vegetable mixture and blend in a blender for 1 min.
Add mixture back to pot.
Add reserved spear tips to pot along with 1/4 cup of Dry Sherry wine.
Simmer for 15 min.
Add 6 cups 1/2 & 1/2 cream. Bring to a simmer.
Add 1/2 cup of Idaho Instant Potato Flakes, stirring quickly.
Salt & Pepper to taste.
If a thicker soup is desired, add more potato flakes.
Serve with Croutons.
Colly Gruczelak, a Ben Lomond resident, loves people and loves to cook. Contact her at cz****@co*****.net.
