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Asparagus

Asparagus 

ASPARAGUS | 31 MAY 2011

It’s official. I have overdosed.  I have eaten asparagus with every possible meal since they first appeared on the scene in April.  Coping with the weather can make living in London a little grim and the arrival of the English asparagus to the market does a lot to perk you up.   And then this year we had the most spectacular Spring so that was a double and simultaneous bonus.  Some people don’t like asparagus because of the way it affects the smell of their pee.  I mentioned this at a dinner the other day (I am a rather uncouth dinner guest) and was super surprised that not everyone seemed to notice a change.  It turns out, after comprehensive asparagus research and Pascal and my fifth consecutive meal of said vegetable, that only 22% of the population have the gene to smell a difference.   I was shocked and then felt sort of special.  My father is a recovering asparagus hater due mostly to the fact that he had only eaten it out of a can growing up in Texas in the 50s.  So given that, I understand.  It was only upon discovering the fresh version, which I am sure he did not think was the same vegetable, that he was converted, pee smell and all.  I personally like mine relatively unadorned.  I drop them into boiling water until I see the first tinge of green in the water and take them out put them on a plate, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and if all goes according to plan some shavings of parmesan.  (Pascal prefers a quick marinade of olive oil and a minute on the grill, then again he will grill pretty much anything.) Nothing could make me happier.  Although our houseguests cooked us dinner that night which was pretty great too!

 

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