All About Asparagus

White asparagus, which is more common in Europe, is more tender. It is an artificially cultivated crop. The shoots are covered in soil as they grow, shielding them from sunlight and preventing the photosynthesis that would turn them green from chlorophyll. They remain white but continue to grow—a process called “blanching.” Europeans prize locally grown white asparagus as a springtime delicacy, but since there are no domestic producers in the U.S., the great majority of white asparagus available in supermarkets is imported from Peru.

The answer might surprise you! Asparagus spears are the plant shoots of an underground crown that can produce for up to 20 years. The thickness of a spear has nothing to do with its age—that is, a thin spear will not mature into a thicker spear. Rather, diameter is determined by two factors: the age of the entire plant (younger crowns produce more slender stalks) and its variety. So, which size is preferable? We snapped off the woody bottoms of fat and skinny spears and tasted them side by side, both steamed and tossed with olive oil and salt. While both types tasted equally sweet, nutty, and grassy, we expected the delicate-looking thin spears to be more tender. To our surprise, the thicker spears actually had the better texture (if only by a hair). The reason? The vegetable’s fiber is slightly more concentrated in thinner spears.

Nope! While we often think of asparagus as a delicate vegetable, the spears can actually be quite hardy and take on a unique texture when they interact with the strong, even heat of the oven. Our favorite methods are roasting and broiling, but there are a few things to know before you take to the oven. Check out the recipe lessons for Broiled Asparagus with Soy-Ginger Vinaigrette and Roasted Asparagus with Mint-Orange Gremolata in this class for more.

A better question is what flavors can’t you pair with asparagus?! While we often associate this vegetable with elevated preparations, and it is indeed well suited to fine dining and French cuisine, it’s just as at home with any number of flavor profiles. We love it in stir fries with soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil, or in a creamy risotto with garlic and Parmesan. Or how about a riff on a caesar salad with grilled asparagus spears standing in for the lettuce? We also love pairing the vegetable with eggs in omelets, quiches, frittatas, and even scrambles.