I love your food back stories. As an avid illustrator of recipes I love being reminded of the historical context of what we eat. Being an American who refined her palate while studying in France I love the morsels of your own agricultural success such as that beautiful picture of your garden on Mull ... swoon! Please keep writing your voice is like the echo of culinary delights we savor long after the meal has left us❤️
I’m travelling in Germany at the moment and the celebration of asparagus season here is amazing. Wine produced specially to go with asparagus, asparagus stalls and markets everywhere. Ready made hollandaise on sale next to huge bunches of green and white asparagus. I love it! But in my rural backwater in the UK there is hardly ever English asparagus. It makes me so sad.
We are lucky that several decades ago a young couple decided to expand their asparagus patch into a viable cash crop. It’s always an exciting moment when the word goes out it’s asparagus time.
I haven’t boiled asparagus in years. I used to have an asparagus steam pot that went the way of the aluminum graveyard. About that time I started roasting them. A little olive oil and then 10-15 minutes in a 450 oven. Sometimes a l sprinkle the stalks with panko and grated Parmbefore roasting.
A dressed up version would be my stealing an idea from a local steakhouse with a deconstructed Romesco sauce: fine diced red peppers, minced garlic, breadcrumbs and chopped almonds sautéed in olive oil. Their presentation was about a 2” stripe over the plated asparagus. I’m more generous!
Last month I bought a stainless version of the steam pot. We had our first asparagus last night from a local grower. Roasted them. Tonight l will steam them and see which we like best. I agree with you about the perfect bite of not mushy/not almost raw!
It doesn’t have the spice of Romesco sauce and it isn’t blended together. It’s just a few of the parts! Loved the pic of the Scotland garden. The asparagus is definitely on a short window. Add tomatoes to the seasonal list. August to September are prime times here. Although I used to grow Fourth of July tomatoes. Some guy created
this gem to be ready to put on his Fourth celebration burgers!
My only query with the Romesco sauce, which is a favourite of mine, is whether it overpowers the asparagus. But then, if it's growing as locally as yours is, the flavour presumably is so much more forceful than the insipid imported spears. I envy you their proximity!
It takes dedication, optimism, and a great deal of patience to plant asparagus. First, the hard work of establishing the plot -- we built a raised bed for ours -- preparing the soil, and planting the roots. Then, even if there is some growth, one must wait two years before harvesting a few spears. Our first taste of our crop, in the second summer was two spears each. Last year, we had several small servings each. I'm really looking forward to seeing how many we get this year--the first, fat purple spear has just emerged, when the winter blanket of straw was removed. Home grown asparagus, eaten just after harvesting, tastes nothing like the Peruvian asparagus sold in supermarkets. It is SWEET. The difficulty comes with preparation -- I peel the thicker stalks. But J is in the Nigel Slater camp-- he wants it soft. I like it yielding but with a hint of crunch. Can this marriage survive asparagus season? (We're at 54 years next month, the peak of asparagus season.)
You're spot on about tomatoes. My reluctance to add them was purely English. Not even in the UK season or from Natoora outlets can they come close in sunny flavour to an Italian, Greek or other Mediterranean tomato.
My father created an asparagus bed. I reckon it was almost 12 years before you could describe what it gavexas a feast. But each year was a ceremony of worship of the few spears we were reverentially served. Each was a thing almost unrelated to the imported vegetable. I don't like mine chewy but not do I want mushy. Somewhere in the al dente zone. I envy you your treat. You paintva lovely picture.
I love your food back stories. As an avid illustrator of recipes I love being reminded of the historical context of what we eat. Being an American who refined her palate while studying in France I love the morsels of your own agricultural success such as that beautiful picture of your garden on Mull ... swoon! Please keep writing your voice is like the echo of culinary delights we savor long after the meal has left us❤️
Your words are very encouraging - thank you. I'll keep digging gardens and the past...
I’m travelling in Germany at the moment and the celebration of asparagus season here is amazing. Wine produced specially to go with asparagus, asparagus stalls and markets everywhere. Ready made hollandaise on sale next to huge bunches of green and white asparagus. I love it! But in my rural backwater in the UK there is hardly ever English asparagus. It makes me so sad.
I love the word the Germans use for white asparagus which I always hear as 'Sparkle'.
Spargel wine threw me for a bit but yes it’s a lovely word
We are lucky that several decades ago a young couple decided to expand their asparagus patch into a viable cash crop. It’s always an exciting moment when the word goes out it’s asparagus time.
I haven’t boiled asparagus in years. I used to have an asparagus steam pot that went the way of the aluminum graveyard. About that time I started roasting them. A little olive oil and then 10-15 minutes in a 450 oven. Sometimes a l sprinkle the stalks with panko and grated Parmbefore roasting.
A dressed up version would be my stealing an idea from a local steakhouse with a deconstructed Romesco sauce: fine diced red peppers, minced garlic, breadcrumbs and chopped almonds sautéed in olive oil. Their presentation was about a 2” stripe over the plated asparagus. I’m more generous!
Last month I bought a stainless version of the steam pot. We had our first asparagus last night from a local grower. Roasted them. Tonight l will steam them and see which we like best. I agree with you about the perfect bite of not mushy/not almost raw!
It doesn’t have the spice of Romesco sauce and it isn’t blended together. It’s just a few of the parts! Loved the pic of the Scotland garden. The asparagus is definitely on a short window. Add tomatoes to the seasonal list. August to September are prime times here. Although I used to grow Fourth of July tomatoes. Some guy created
this gem to be ready to put on his Fourth celebration burgers!
My only query with the Romesco sauce, which is a favourite of mine, is whether it overpowers the asparagus. But then, if it's growing as locally as yours is, the flavour presumably is so much more forceful than the insipid imported spears. I envy you their proximity!
It takes dedication, optimism, and a great deal of patience to plant asparagus. First, the hard work of establishing the plot -- we built a raised bed for ours -- preparing the soil, and planting the roots. Then, even if there is some growth, one must wait two years before harvesting a few spears. Our first taste of our crop, in the second summer was two spears each. Last year, we had several small servings each. I'm really looking forward to seeing how many we get this year--the first, fat purple spear has just emerged, when the winter blanket of straw was removed. Home grown asparagus, eaten just after harvesting, tastes nothing like the Peruvian asparagus sold in supermarkets. It is SWEET. The difficulty comes with preparation -- I peel the thicker stalks. But J is in the Nigel Slater camp-- he wants it soft. I like it yielding but with a hint of crunch. Can this marriage survive asparagus season? (We're at 54 years next month, the peak of asparagus season.)
You're spot on about tomatoes. My reluctance to add them was purely English. Not even in the UK season or from Natoora outlets can they come close in sunny flavour to an Italian, Greek or other Mediterranean tomato.
My father created an asparagus bed. I reckon it was almost 12 years before you could describe what it gavexas a feast. But each year was a ceremony of worship of the few spears we were reverentially served. Each was a thing almost unrelated to the imported vegetable. I don't like mine chewy but not do I want mushy. Somewhere in the al dente zone. I envy you your treat. You paintva lovely picture.