Asparagus

Asparagus, whose name stems from a Greek word used to refer to all tender shoots picked and savored while very young, is a member of the Lily family. Asparagus has been cultivated for over 2000 years, starting in the eastern Mediterranean region. Romans as early as 200 BC not only had how-to-grow- directions, but were freezing asparagus to preserve it. Ever since King Louis XIV of France had special greenhouses built so he could enjoy asparagus all year long, it has been called the "Food of Kings."

Asparagus grows in a fairly wide range of climates. In North America alone it is grown from Michigan to Guatemala, however, it thrives in Mediterranean-style regions such as California, Mexico, and its home land, the Mediterranean basin. Wild asparagus is found in diverse places like Wisconsin, Russia, Poland, and England.

California produces 70 to 80 percent of America's asparagus crop, Washington second, followed by Arizona, Oregon, New Jersey, Michigan, and Illinois. The United States imports a huge quantity of asparagus from Mexico, Peru, and Chile, with smaller amounts from Guatemala, Columbia, and Argentina.

Selection & Storage
Pick very firm spears with tips that are tight, compact, have a medium green color with purple highlights, and a white, woody bottom that is less than 15 percent of the total length. If asparagus has tips that are opened, stems that are wrinkled and withered with an odor that indicates deterioration or rotting, then you know it is over-the-hill! Give the bunch a squeeze, and if it squeaks, you know it's fresh!

It was thought in the past that thin, so-called pencil asparagus would be more flavorful and tender than fatter asparagus (sometimes mistaken for older asparagus,) when actually the reverse is true. The younger the plant, the greater amount of jumbo asparagus it produces. I have rarely found jumbo asparagus anything but juicy and tender, and usually I think it is more flavorful than the pencil asparagus.

Asparagus is harvested when spears reach a length of 10 to 12 inches, trimmed to about 9 inches with diameters in four different sizes. Spears are sold in bunches, weighing 1 to 1� pounds. White asparagus will have the same qualities as green asparagus, including purple highlights, except that the color will be white instead of green.

Small spears: 31 to 35 per pound are about 3/16 inch in diameter at the base.
Standard spears: 21 to 30 per pound are 5/16 inch in diameter at the base.
Large spears: 11 to 20 per pound are 7/16 inch in diameter at the base.
Jumbo spears: 7 to 10 per pound are 13/16 inch. (On occasion you will also see extra-large spears, which are 10/16 inch in diameter.)

Cool temperatures-between 37�F and 41�F-should be maintained at home. Cut off an inch from the bottom, wrap the fresh-cut areas in wet paper toweling, place in a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator crisper drawer. This will increase the storage life beyond the normal recommended storage time of three or four days, although the flavor will gradually deteriorate.

Preparation
My answer to the question to "peel or not to peel," is "not!" Peeling asparagus-actually the bottom 25 percent or so-is tedious and unnecessary. Just hold the top half of one spear in one hand, the bottom half with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, and bend each spear until it snaps. It will snap naturally where the toughest part meets the tender part. You can cook the bottoms and save with the cooking water to use for stock if desired.

Should you use those special asparagus cookers-the tall cylinders where the spears stand straight up, and are three-fourths covered by water? I suggest you put your money in more important kitchen tools like good knives and pots and pans.

Asparagus can be boiled in salted water, like green beans or broccoli, and you only need an inch or two of water in a skillet, unless you're cooking large quantities of asparagus (more than 1� pounds.). Bring the water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt, and then add the asparagus and cook until tender but quite firm. Other methods include steaming, microwaving, or stir-frying.

A pound of trimmed asparagus depending on the diameter of the stalks will cook in:

Boiled: 2-4 minutes to 6-10 minutes
Steamed: 4-7 minutes to 7-12 minutes
Microwave: 3-5 minutes to 6-8 minutes plus 3-5 minutes standing time.
Stir-fried: 2-4.5 minutes - 4-8 minutes for �" diagonal slices with whole tips.

Small or standard sized asparagus is the best to use when stir-frying, and does not need to be precooked. Use pieces that have been cut diagonally into pieces no longer than 2 inches in length. Asparagus on the grill is a real treat, especially when you use the jumbo size. Boil, steam, or microwave halfway, brush with olive oil, and grill over medium heat.

Tony's Tip
If the tips are slightly wilted, soaking them in cold water will refresh them.

Tony's Favorite Recipe
Roasted Asparagus with Rosemary Oil

Varieties
Green asparagus has many common varieties�UC 157, Jersey Giant, Ida Lee, and the Brock. There is not a terribly significant difference between them.

White asparagus is the same as green asparagus except it is picked while most of it is still underground, before the stalk below the crowned tip is exposed to sunlight, and produces chlorophyll.

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