The recent thread on asparagus made me think about blanched
vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes better than green as
does white celery. That is very hard to come by outside Farmers'
Markets in Penn Dutch country. Actually, it can be wrapped and
left in the fridge and will blanch but I seldom have the
patience. My grandfather was an enthusiastic gardener and never
grew celery without covering the stalks with soil to blanch it
however, newspaper advisers seem to have convinced many people
that green celery tastes good. Don't bother to try to convince
me otherwise especially with religious arguments like health :-)


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

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

"James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
. ..
> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about blanched vegetables. I
> think white asparagus tastes better than green as does white celery. That
> is very hard to come by outside Farmers' Markets in Penn Dutch country.
> Actually, it can be wrapped and left in the fridge and will blanch but I
> seldom have the patience. My grandfather was an enthusiastic gardener and
> never grew celery without covering the stalks with soil to blanch it
> however, newspaper advisers seem to have convinced many people that green
> celery tastes good. Don't bother to try to convince me otherwise
> especially with religious arguments like health :-)
>
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland


In other words, we shouldn't try to convince you? Do you like the insides of
iceberg lettuce better than nicely grown romaine?

jmcquown wrote:
>
> James Silverton wrote:
> > The recent thread on asparagus made me think about blanched
> > vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes better than green
>
> I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable market and, sadly,
> just this week found out the market has shut down. They're putting up a
> strip mall. Yeah, we need more of those. (sigh)

I can't honestly remember ever seeing white asparagus for sale here but I
saw a lot of in in Germany. I went on two European trips that got me to
Germany around the end of the first week of May, just in time for Spargle
season. Many of the restaurants where we ate had a special Spargle menu.
Let me tell you....., when you order the asparagus special in Germany you
get a honking huge serving of the stuff. It had to be more than a pound.

Dave wrote on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:10:38 -0400:

DS> jmcquown wrote:
??>>
??>> James Silverton wrote:
??>>> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about
??>>> blanched vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes
??>>> better than green
??>>
??>> I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable
??>> market and, sadly, just this week found out the market has
??>> shut down. They're putting up a strip mall. Yeah, we
??>> need more of those. (sigh)

I've seen white asparagus at Fresh Fields and Balducci's (a
small NY-Washington chain and probably the most expensive
grocery in town!) but it's usually about $2 more than green.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

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

James Silverton wrote:
> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about blanched
> vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes better than green

I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable market and, sadly,
just this week found out the market has shut down. They're putting up a
strip mall. Yeah, we need more of those. (sigh)

Jill

"James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
...
> Dave wrote on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:10:38 -0400:
>
> DS> jmcquown wrote:
> ??>>
> ??>> James Silverton wrote:
> ??>>> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about
> ??>>> blanched vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes
> ??>>> better than green
> ??>>
> ??>> I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable
> ??>> market and, sadly, just this week found out the market has
> ??>> shut down. They're putting up a strip mall. Yeah, we
> ??>> need more of those. (sigh)
>
> I've seen white asparagus at Fresh Fields and Balducci's (a small
> NY-Washington chain and probably the most expensive grocery in town!) but
> it's usually about $2 more than green.

I used to see it at Kroger when I lived in TX. Only bought it once (yeah, it
was at least $2 more than the green). I saw purple asparagus there, too.
Never bought that.

Mary

James Silverton wrote:

> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about blanched vegetables.
> I think white asparagus tastes better than green as does white celery.
> That is very hard to come by outside Farmers' Markets in Penn Dutch
> country. Actually, it can be wrapped and left in the fridge and will
> blanch but I seldom have the patience. My grandfather was an
> enthusiastic gardener and never grew celery without covering the stalks
> with soil to blanch it however, newspaper advisers seem to have
> convinced many people that green celery tastes good. Don't bother to try
> to convince me otherwise especially with religious arguments like health
> :-)

I was in Spain for 11 days back in January and the only asparagus I saw
was white. It was included in salads, and also in veggie sandwiches -
lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, white asparagus and mayo on toast.

MareCat wrote:
> "James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
> ...
>> Dave wrote on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:10:38 -0400:
>>
>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>
>>>> James Silverton wrote:
>>>>> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about
>>>>> blanched vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes
>>>>> better than green
>>>>
>>>> I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable
>>>> market and, sadly, just this week found out the market has
>>>> shut down. They're putting up a strip mall. Yeah, we
>>>> need more of those. (sigh)
>>
>> I've seen white asparagus at Fresh Fields and Balducci's (a small
>> NY-Washington chain and probably the most expensive grocery in
>> town!) but it's usually about $2 more than green.
>
> I used to see it at Kroger when I lived in TX. Only bought it once
> (yeah, it was at least $2 more than the green). I saw purple
> asparagus there, too. Never bought that.
>
> Mary

I sometimes think it's a bit extravagant and Europeans like to lord it over
us that their esparagus isn't green. Well excuse me, it's just a matter of
chlorophyll. LOL

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> MareCat wrote:
>> "James Silverton" <not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not> wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Dave wrote on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 17:10:38 -0400:
>>>
>>>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> James Silverton wrote:
>>>>>> The recent thread on asparagus made me think about
>>>>>> blanched vegetables. I think white asparagus tastes
>>>>>> better than green
>>>>>
>>>>> I've only seen white asparagus at one large vegetable
>>>>> market and, sadly, just this week found out the market has
>>>>> shut down. They're putting up a strip mall. Yeah, we
>>>>> need more of those. (sigh)
>>>
>>> I've seen white asparagus at Fresh Fields and Balducci's (a small
>>> NY-Washington chain and probably the most expensive grocery in
>>> town!) but it's usually about $2 more than green.
>>
>> I used to see it at Kroger when I lived in TX. Only bought it once
>> (yeah, it was at least $2 more than the green). I saw purple
>> asparagus there, too. Never bought that.
>>
>> Mary
>
> I sometimes think it's a bit extravagant and Europeans like to lord it
> over
> us that their esparagus isn't green. Well excuse me, it's just a matter
> of
> chlorophyll. LOL
>
I think white asparagus looks weird. Pale somehow. And the purple is just
a different variety, I think, and like purple okra, turns the water green
when you cook it. Or pickle liquid - had to sneak that one in.
Colorful veggies is supposed to be good for us!
Edrena