Though there may not be a large variety of fruit and veg ready for the picking at this point, we can finally begin to prepare for the coming of summer, and start propagating indoor crops. One of the more interesting vegetables you can start outdoors is asparagus, Asparagus officinalis.
Asparagus is an herbaceous perennial, so if you find a spot in your garden bed you’d like to dedicate to them, rest assured they’ll keep returning for up to twenty five years after you’ve sown them. To sow the asparagus, just buy a crown from a nursery and find some acidic soil in your yard. You can easily determine what the pH of your soil is by purchasing a soil test kit through your local Soil and Water Conservation District. If your soil is alkaline, you can lower the pH by tilling in coffee grounds, conifer needles, oak leaves, or sawdust. Dig V-shaped furrows about 7 inches deep, planting the asparagus crowns on their sides about 12-16” away from each other. Allow about four feet between rows.
Once you harvest the asparagus, you’re in for a treat. Marcel Proust claimed the plant turned his “chamber-pot into a flask of perfume.” Though some of us may disagree with Proust’s rave, it is true that asparagus has some effect on urine – it’s a natural diuretic, and contains some sulfuric constituents, which produce the aforementioned side effect. In addition to its odorific and diuretic properties, asparagus has been credited with curing toothaches and working as an aphrodisiac. The little spears are low in calories, but full of Vitamins C, A, E, folic acid, and an antioxidant known to fight cancer. Mineral-wise, asparagus contain copper, magnesium, iorn, and phosphorus – all essential for total health. Little wonder they’ve been cultivated for consumption since Ancient Rome.
Though asparagus isn’t native to the US, it thrives here, and we’ve developed a taste for it – we’re the world’s largest asparagus importer. Top exporters include Peru and China. Most of our homegrown asparagus comes from Michigan, Washington or California. California has a special love affair with A. officinalis – every year for the past 23, it’s hosted the Asparagus festival, which features a Spear-it Run, a fried food eating contest, and some pretty kick-ass music: this year featured artists include Joan Jett and War.
After you’re finished cultivating and celebrating your asparagus, it’s time to cook it up. Usually it’s served steamed and covered in hollandaise sauce, but here at ecometro.com, we pride ourselves on taking it a step beyond the ordinary. In that spirit of experimentation, I hope you all enjoy the following recipe once harvest comes around.
Asparagus Guacamole
2 green chiles, seeded and broiled
1 tsp olive oil
About 1 pound of asparagus, tough ends removed
2 medium avocados, cut into cubes
1 cup sour cream
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp paprika
Dash chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Broil the green chiles until skins are charred. Remove, set aside. Boil asparagus until tender, then remove and place in food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Pulse until smooth. Serve with tortilla chips.
For more information about the Asparagus Festival:
http://www.asparagusfest.com
References:
http://www.ehow.com/how_9880_grow-asparagus.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagus