Asparagus Anecdotes
December 28th 2010 12:33
:
The history of
:
the asparagus
Fresh asparagus cooked the way I like it.
As I became an adult I hated asparagus with a passion. The idea of eating those mushy, green tasteless vegetables of my youth did not fill me with joy.
Then I discovered fresh asparagus. The crisp flavour and crunchy texture won me over in a heartbeat. Now, while I do cook them, I also have been known to eat them raw.
A perennial plant that is native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor areas, it was first cultivated by the Romans.
Rumour has it Roman emperors were so fond of asparagus, that they kept a special asparagus fleet for the purpose of fetching it.
The ancient Greeks also loved them and the word 'asparagus' is actually greek for 'sprout' or 'shoot'.
Egyptians were known to cultivate them as well, so they were a popular little member of the lily family.
Herbalist John Girard mentioned wild asparagus in the 16th century, and it is mentioned as far back as the 17th century in French cookbooks.
In Northern Italy asparagus was grown through the Renaissance period.
A quick and easy way to cook asparagus is with lots of butter in a fry pan. Don't cook it for too long though or it gets mushy and will bring back my childhood nightmares. It still needs to be crunchy.
Serve as a side dish with plenty of cracked black pepper.
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Comment by karen moreman
Comment by Samantha Elley
Food Journo
The Sandwich Shak
Vintage Foodie
Little House among the Canefields
Love the idea of using them in dips.
You obviously don't have the nightmares I had with asparagus as a child..LOL!
Sam