16 May 2011

FUNDAY MONDAY

Tidbits

Asparagus is an event here in NL.  But check it out!  White is the new green, apparently.

How do they make the asparagus white?  I'm glad you asked.  Asparagus turns green once it's spears break the surface of the ground and get chlorophyll from the sun.  Farmers here cover their fields in rows of sun ray-blocking sheets of opaque white plastic, and the tender spears get pulled from the ground before seeing a single second of sunshine.

Why do they make asparagus white?  Good question.  Chefs swear white asparagus is completely different from green.  Maybe my tastebuds are majorly unrefined, but I have yet to taste a difference.


2 comments:

  1. Germans call it spargel. I remember a few festivals for it and yummy soup.

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  2. It's called asper-HES here. There are also festivals, and restaurants make a special menu where every dish has asparagus. It is so delicious, we've been trying to eat it as much as possible before the season ends. There is a farm 1 kilometer from our house that only opens for 1 month to sell it. It's awesome.

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