Asparagus – The Cook’s Harbinger of Spring

Spring is finally upon us. Green leaves adorn the trees, birds are chirping away, and most importantly, local asparagus has arrived in the markets! For many chefs and home cooks alike, asparagus is the true harbinger of spring. At other times of the year it is gray/brown, woody in flavor, and imported from far away. In May, it is bright green, sometimes adorned with purple, herbaceous, crisp and grown on family farms all throughout the states.

Asparagus has been considered a culinary delicacy for thousands of years. The Romans grew the green relative of the lily in their gardens. The Roman scholar Marcus Cato described its production and benefits in his work “De Agro Culture” (On Farming) in the 2^nd century B.C. After the fall of Rome, asparagus cultivation continued in Syria, Egypt and Spain. The name asparagus can be traced to the Persian word “asparg”, which means “sprout”.

Not until 1469 did asparagus make a showing in France and, in 1538, in England. King Louis XVI dubbed it the “king of vegetables,” and was so enthralled that he instructed his gardeners to grow it year-round in a hot-house. Asparagus was not widely grown in North America until the late 19^th century. It then spread to Asia, where it has been commonly incorporated into the region’s many cuisines, and South America, where 80 percent of asparagus is imported from.

Asparagus takes true dedication to grow, which explains the often high price at which it retails. Preparations for planting must be made a year in advance to ensure proper soil quality. After the sprouts are planted (it is very difficult to grow from seed outdoors), asparagus must not be harvested until the third year. This is to be sure that a healthy crown, the root system from which the spears grow, is well established. In the third year, the asparagus will be harvested 8 to 12 times, in following years, 20 to 24 times. All spears that grow after early summer must be allowed to propagate into ferns in order to provide energy to the crown.

There are many different varieties of asparagus. Today, farmers mostly use “hybrids,” which, in this case, means “all-male” plants. While female asparagus grows larger, they produce fewer spears because so much of their energy goes to growing berries. Popular hybrid varieties include “Jersey Giant,” “Jersey Supreme,” and “Jersey Knight.” A less popular, non-hybrid, variety is “Mary Washington.” Contrary to popular belief, white asparagus is not a separate variety; it is simply asparagus that was kept out of the sun by being covered in soil so that chlorophyll does not develop.

Many people believe that thin asparagus is the tenderest, but it is actually to the contrary. Most of the stringy, unpleasant texture is the skin, so the thinner the asparagus, the higher the ratio of tough skin. Asparagus can be cooked in many ways: steamed, grilled, fried or baked in a dish. Popular accompaniments include oil, butter, lemon and parmesan cheese, and hollandaise sauce. Asparagus can also be dressed up with a little more preparation as shown in the following recipe for Elegant Spring Hash.