All About Asparagus
Asparagus has been revered as a vegetable since Roman times, and it actually makes an appearance in the oldest surviving book of recipes. Its large native range stretches east to west, from Spain to central China, and north to south, from Siberia all the way to Pakistan, but it has found adoptive homes across the globe. Asparagus is one of the harbingers of Spring, so it is always a welcome sight in markets.
Buying
Once a seasonal springtime treat, asparagus is now available year-round. No matter what thickness you buy, look for spears with the top tightly closed and the bottom still moist. (You may see asparagus sold upright in shallow tubs of water for this reason). Spears with the tops flowering open and dry bottoms are past their prime. Thicker spears (½ to ¾ inch) are the most versatile and we found that they worked best in many recipes, since thinner spears can easily overcook. Purchase thinner spears (½ inch or thinner), which are less fibrous, for recipes where the asparagus is raw or for recipes where it’s pureed. Pencil-thin asparagus spears often command a high price at the market.
Storage
Store cut asparagus in water to keep it fresh longer. To store asparagus this way, trim the bottom ½ inch of the stalks and stand the spears upright in a glass. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the stalks by 1-inch and place the glass in the refrigerator. Asparagus stored this way should remain relatively fresh for about four days; you may need to add a little more water every few days. Re-trim the very bottom of the stalks before using.
Thick vs. Thin
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.
