maxine in ri wrote:
> Got some asparagus for $1 at the reduced rack couple days ago. Trimmed
> off the bottom inch, put em in a container with water and they stood
> up straight by the next day.
>
> Though I had lopped off enough of the bottoms, so rinsed them, tossed
> them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and
> roasted them for 20 minutes, til they started to look a little brown.
>
> Hadn't cut off enough of the bottom. They were half tough and
> stringy.
>
> How do you pick good asparagus (I'm not going to waste my money again
> on the iffy stuff)? How much of the bottom do you break off? How do
> you know _where_ to break it off?
>
> Some bargains just aren't bargains.
>
> maxine in ri

In an episode of Jacques Pepin's "More Fast Food My Way" Jacques first
peeled the bottom portion of the asparagus stalk and then broke off the
bottom portion. He said by peeling first, you expose more of the tender
part of the stalk and will need to break off less length. I've begun
peeling the bottom of the stalks first, then breaking the ends and I
think I do get more edible/tender pieces from each stalk that way.
-mickey