White Asperagus?

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

The Ranger

Depends on one's upbringing. My mother loves white asparagus, as do many
Western Europeans. As with green asparagus the stalks need to be a
certain diameter and tender before cooking.

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

The Ranger

I tried some. It's really no different. Slightly larger in the stalk but
other than that I can't see what the big deal is.

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

Quoted message said:

I tried some. It's really no different. Slightly larger in the stalk but
other than that I can't see what the big deal is.

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

nancy

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

I have been in Germany in early May on two occasions and is was Spargle
(asparagus) season, and they had white and green. I can't say that I
noticed a big difference, except that their asparagus was a lot thicker
than the stuff we get here. Some of the restaurants had special Spargle
menus. It wasn't cheap, but servings were huge.

Nancy Young said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

Quoted message said:

I tried some. It's really no different. Slightly larger in the
stalk but other than that I can't see what the big deal is.

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

nancy

Tastes the same. Just white. And bigger. Not worth the extra $$ (IMHO)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

That's my understanding of what it is ...

Quoted message said:

Tastes the same. Just white. And bigger. Not worth the extra $$ (IMHO)

I found it does taste some what different ...
a more subtile lighter flavor.

I was in Europe in the spring once, and its
a big thing with them (I wouldn't be surprised to
find out there was a white asparagus festival somewhere
there).

I'm not sure if its worth the extra bucks myself ...
however, if I were a farmer, I'd be growing the stuff
and raking in the extra euros.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

That's my understanding of what it is ...

Quoted message said:

Tastes the same. Just white. And bigger. Not worth the extra $$ (IMHO)

I found it does taste some what different ...
a more subtile lighter flavor.

I was in Europe in the spring once, and its
a big thing with them (I wouldn't be surprised to
find out there was a white asparagus festival somewhere
there).

I'm not sure if its worth the extra bucks myself ...
however, if I were a farmer, I'd be growing the stuff
and raking in the extra euros.

It is very labor intensive. You have to cover the stalks to make them
white, and then uncover them for harvest.

Quoted message said:

I was in Europe in the spring once, and its
a big thing with them (I wouldn't be surprised to
find out there was a white asparagus festival somewhere
there).

Yep, in Treviso and Udine (north east Italy).
Sure also in south Germany, where both green (grune spargeln) and white
(weisse spargeln) asparagi are vastly grown and used.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Nancy Young said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

Quoted message said:

I tried some. It's really no different. Slightly larger in the
stalk but other than that I can't see what the big deal is.

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

nancy

Yes, I think they cover it, nancy. At least that's my understanding,
anyway. I know the white asparagus is more of a European thing, but
asthetically, I think I prefer the green. When cooked properly, the green
is so vibrant and really dresses up the plate. :~)

kili

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

The Ranger

Presentation, I suspect.

[email hidden] wrote on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 23:53:43 -0700:

??>>> It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

j> That's my understanding of what it is ...

??>> Tastes the same. Just white. And bigger. Not worth the
??>> extra $$ (IMHO)

j> I found it does taste some what different ...
j> a more subtitle lighter flavor.

j> I was in Europe in the spring once, and its
j> a big thing with them (I wouldn't be surprised to
j> find out there was a white asparagus festival somewhere
j> there).

I'm not sure that the difference is worth the price but there is
a difference in taste that seems to be borne out by the European
preference. I guess one *can* taste chlorophyll! I don't think
the difference in taste is as great as that in green and white
celery. Celery used to be blanched as a matter of course when I
was growing up in Britain. You can still buy white celery from
farmer's markets in pl;aces like Lancaster, PA where the Amish
farmers adhere to tradition. I very definitely prefer white
celery but many people are persuaded that there is no
difference. It's certainly cheaper for the producers to omit the
blanching that involves piling earth around the stems for a few
weeks.

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

"kilikini" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

Quoted message said:

Yes, I think they cover it, nancy. At least that's my understanding,
anyway. I know the white asparagus is more of a European thing, but
asthetically, I think I prefer the green. When cooked properly, the green
is so vibrant and really dresses up the plate. :~)

Asparagus really isn't my thing, though I had some last night,
so I really don't have an opinion. Shocking, I know. Heh.
People say they can taste the difference, I thought that was
interesting.

nancy

Nancy Young said:

"kilikini" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It's just the same asparagus grown without light, no?

Quoted message said:

Yes, I think they cover it, nancy. At least that's my understanding,
anyway. I know the white asparagus is more of a European thing, but
asthetically, I think I prefer the green. When cooked properly, the
green is so vibrant and really dresses up the plate. :~)

Asparagus really isn't my thing, though I had some last night,
so I really don't have an opinion. Shocking, I know. Heh.
People say they can taste the difference, I thought that was
interesting.

nancy

My brother always hated asparagus until he tried the (shudder) Green Giant
canned spears. Then he said oh, this is good! (?) I finally persuaded him
to try steamed fresh asparagus. Oh! Yum! he said. But I'm pretty sure
white asparagus would make him cringe.

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Asparagus really isn't my thing, though I had some last night,
so I really don't have an opinion. Shocking, I know. Heh.
People say they can taste the difference, I thought that was
interesting.

Quoted message said:

My brother always hated asparagus until he tried the (shudder) Green Giant
canned spears. Then he said oh, this is good! (?)

I can trace my utter dislike of asparagus to the fact that it
was served on holidays, *canned* ... ugh. I like it well
enough now, fresh and roasted or grilled, and not too fat.
Thinner the better.

Quoted message said:

I finally persuaded him
to try steamed fresh asparagus. Oh! Yum! he said. But I'm pretty sure
white asparagus would make him cringe.

To each their own, I mean, some people eat durian, right?

nancy

Nancy Young said:

"jmcquown" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Asparagus really isn't my thing, though I had some last night,
so I really don't have an opinion. Shocking, I know. Heh.
People say they can taste the difference, I thought that was
interesting.

Quoted message said:

My brother always hated asparagus until he tried the (shudder) Green
Giant canned spears. Then he said oh, this is good! (?)

I can trace my utter dislike of asparagus to the fact that it
was served on holidays, *canned* ... ugh. I like it well
enough now, fresh and roasted or grilled, and not too fat.
Thinner the better.

Quoted message said:

I finally persuaded him
to try steamed fresh asparagus. Oh! Yum! he said. But I'm pretty
sure white asparagus would make him cringe.

To each their own, I mean, some people eat durian, right?

nancy

Isn't it funny how many things were only trotted out for "holidays"? Mom
usually didn't serve asparagus (canned, of course) unless it was Easter.
Butter was reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas. At my age I'm
wondering, is there some food calendar I don't know about that says, "Thou
Shalt Not"?! And is there a law you have to burn the rolls? Here, have a
timer 🙂

Jill

jmcquown said:

Isn't it funny how many things were only trotted out for "holidays"? Mom
usually didn't serve asparagus (canned, of course) unless it was Easter.

Maybe she viewed it a traditional Easter food because it came into season
around Easter. It is one of the first spring veggies to enjoy.

Quoted message said:

Butter was reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

My mother tried margarine a few times when money was tight. My father would
have nothing to do with that. He insisted on butter.

Quoted message said:

At my age I'm
wondering, is there some food calendar I don't know about that says, "Thou
Shalt Not"?!

My food calendar is the seasons of the local fruits and vegetables. They
always taste so much better than the imported products.

Quoted message said:

And is there a law you have to burn the rolls? Here, have a timer 🙂

My wife uses the smoke detector for a timer.

The Ranger said:

I was at the grocery store today and saw (much to my surprise)
white asparagus for US$6.99 per bunch. Aside from the missing
green, why would anyone buy this stuff? What's the appeal?

Taste and texture. White asparagus tends to be a bit softer and less
woody than the green and it has a subtler, less "green" flavor (less
bitter for some). I love the green, but if you want to drink wine with
the meal, white is far easier on wine than green is (which tends to
impart bitter flavors to any wine drunk with it).

Mark Lipton

jmcquown said:

Nancy Young wrote:

Isn't it funny how many things were only trotted out for "holidays"? Mom
usually didn't serve asparagus (canned, of course) unless it was Easter.
Butter was reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas. At my age I'm
wondering, is there some food calendar I don't know about that says, "Thou
Shalt Not"?! And is there a law you have to burn the rolls? Here, have a
timer 🙂

Back in the olden days (when I was a kid, and before),
you used to be only able to get certain
foods at certain times of the year: because of growing seasons
(i.e., aspergrass could would be a spring/summer thing).

But now-a-days, thanks to modern transportation,
and better storage techniques, we can
ship food from the southern hemisphere, so we've got
much more availability of a lot of foods
(when its fall/winter in the northern hemisphere,
its spring/summer downunder, and visa versa).

Nancy Young said:

Asparagus really isn't my thing, though I had some last night,
so I really don't have an opinion. Shocking, I know. Heh.
People say they can taste the difference, I thought that was
interesting.

nancy

Whew! It is nice to hear someone else say, that asparagus is not their
thing. My mother served it when I was a kid, so I ate it (us kids
called it aspe-RAG-us), and I will eat it when it is served on a cruise
ship, but I have not cooked it at home in years.

Becca