Asparagus, the Facts

February 6, 2006 | Posted by Allison as Go Go Gadgets!, The Facts / History at 3:22 pm | Comments »

Asparagus is a very interesting member of the Lily family. Its cultivation dates back 2000 years to the Mediterranean. There is a recipe for cooking asparagus in the oldest surviving book of recipes, Apicius’s 3rd century De re coquinaria, Book III.

While green asparagus is the most widely eaten, white asparagus is available in specialty food stores and is grown by denying the plant light. What a fascinating history of this vegetable, I think that was more interesting than last night’s lineup.

There are many ways to cook your asparagus. In the simplest form, the shoots can be boiled or steamed until tender and may be served with a light hollandaise sauce or melted butter. I myself prefer tying the shoots and the bottom and standing them up in the saucepan so that the lower part of the stalks (the harder part) will boil while the heads (more tender portion) will be steamed.

The perfect, foolproof way to cook asparagus upright, is to use a tall, cylindrical cooking pot such as the All-Clad Stainless Steel Asparagus Steamer Pot. This is fast, easy and serves up a delicious and tender (and healthy) asparagus every time!

Find the All-Clad Stainless Steel Asparagus Steamer Pot at http://www.chefsresource.com/, $39.95.