Asparagus

 

We ate our first big harvest of asparagus for dinner tonight. Growing asparagus requires a commitment to the future. Preparing the trenches is hard work (especially in our rocky soil). The plants need to be kept well weeded and fertilized. And you need to be patient. The first year after planting, all you can do is watch the beautiful spears pop out of the ground; you eat none of them.  The second year you get to pick a handful. The third year, a bit more. Not until the fourth year after planting can you harvest a full crop. That’s this year.

We planted purple asparagus (which turns green when you cook it). Just-picked asparagus has an intense flavor; definitely one of life’s many joys. Tonight we broiled them and put them on crusty bread with a good, sharp, melted cheese, and topped them with two fried eggs. Even competing with the other flavors, the asparagus dominated the meal. We’ve got many more harvests to come.