Asparagus

Landisville Cooperative

$7.99

1 lb

Asparagus shoots are the perfect spring vegetable before they flower in the summer and become too woody to eat. The size of the asparagus really doesn’t matter or indicate flavor--smaller, thinner asparagus were simply plucked sooner than thicker asparagus.

To prepare, a neat trick is to snap off the end of one asparagus (perhaps the largest, woodiest one) as they naturally break right at the border between the tender, edible part, and the woody stem. Then, use that asparagus as a guide for trimming the rest.

Asparagus has so much natural texture and flavor as is that simple preparations like steamed or roasted with just salt, or jazzed up with a little lemon and parmesan are best. They also pair well with fatty foods, like wrapped in bacon or served with hollandaise sauce. We prefer them to only be cooked for 5-10 minutes (with the florets being cooked for the shortest amount of time possible) for perfect al dente spears or roast for longer to have crispy french fry style spears.

IPM

Landisville Cooperative

Vineland, NJ

The Landisville Produce Co-operative was started in 1914 and today is oldest operating agricultural co-operative in the United States. They represent a network of over 40 local growers who have been selected based on their continued quality and reliability. Their growers provide the co-op with product availability and, in turn, Landisville provides them with a sales and distribution venue. They also support their growers by providing point of sale displays and trade show support.

Place asparagus root side down in a glass jar with an inch or two of water and cover tops loosely with a bag. Store in the fridge for up to a week.