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Produce Tips
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Produce Tips
Asparagus
- Prized for its delicious flavor, asparagus has been cultivated since Greco-Roman times. Long before asparagus was used as a food, it was valued for the medicinal properties of all its parts. Today, this velvety green vegetable is prized for its eating quality, making it a very popular vegetable. Asparagus is a seasonal vegetable and is available in Massachusetts from early May to early July. Massachusetts grown asparagus can be purchased at farm stands, farmer's markets and supermarkets.
- When selecting asparagus, allow approximately 1/2 pound per serving. One
pound will about 14 spears, 9 to 10 inches long and 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick.
Choose asparagus with smooth, tender skin and compact pointed tips. An
inch or so of woody base can be trimmed off or "snapped" just
before cooking.
- Refrigerate asparagus standing upright in a container or water. This keeps
the spears fresh and crisp. If this isn't possible, wrap the asparagus
at the base with a damp towel. Use as soon as possible. Asparagus will
keep in the refrigerator three to five days.
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