Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-26
I Table and Kitchen.

Points on Asparagus and Caulifower.
The name was no doubt first suggested
TO the mind of the ancient by the charac-
ter of the perennial plant found growing
wild on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Our garden asparagus Is the result of
long years of cultivating this shore plant,
which, although grown far inland and
reared from the seed, still retains the
character of a marine littoral vegetable
and refuses to thrive unless the soil around
the roots is well supplied with coarse, COM
mon salt. The roots and the red berries
of this plant were formerly used to very
considerable extent in medicine. Pharma-
ceutical properties were not ascribed to
the young shoots. but even in early times
their dietetic nutritive properties were
highly appreciated. Pliny refers in glow
ing terms to the cultivation of the aspar-
agus plant. which at Ravenna was brought
to such perfection three shoots weighed
a pound.
The alimentary use of asparagus hav-
ing been appreciated so far back in an
cient times and It's cultivation occupying
much time and study by those devoted to
horticultural science it seems strange that
1t Is not cheaper, more common vege-
table in this country of varied climates and
soil, for when the length of the warmer
season permits the roots put forth their
shoots twice each year, and it is such a
rapid grower that even in our northern lat
itudes 1t Is necessary to cut these shoots
twice a day.
Our garden asparagus is distinguished as
white green and violet, though for a fact
all the very young shoots. cut below the
surface, before the tips reached the light
are white: these are considered the most
delicate, although the tall green shoots are
the most tender and stronger better fla
vored The white stalks, If large, are ten
dor yhny FROG hut lynyNt too la,,
they become woody. The violet shoots are
those cut as they are just lifting the sur
face of the earth.
The asparagus shoot contains a large
amount of water, about ninety-four per
cent, and about two per cent of nitro
geniZed matter-albuminouS substances and
asparagin, a chemical substances So
called immediate principle which in the
fresh sprout forms 0.35 per cent of the
whole amount of nitrogeniZed matter. This
principle seems to stand in particular rela-
ton to the albuminous substances. Other
ingredients are fat sugar, other soluble
organic substances free from nitrogen and
woody fiber and ash.
This most delicate vegetable Is as gen.
orally misunderstood and ill-treated as the
cauliflower. The chief sin against both is
their doing to death by overboiling-making
them dark and strong favored Boiling is
the only method of cooking asparagus but
it need not be served broken and in shreds
Twenty minutes is sufficient time for cook
ing when 1t is immersed in boiling water;
the green asparagus requiring even less
time to be completely done. When properly
done it may be fully cooked and yet retain
a bright green color and certain crispness
that makes it a very delicious and attract
i've vegetable.
All asparagus must first be boiled-the
different modes of serving consist in the
additional Materials used in combination
and the finshings before serving The
French commonly eat asparagus with either
oil or butter; some eat 1t with hot vine
gar sauce or a gravy, but the usual forms
are practically but two-hot with butter
sauce allemande or Dutch sauce, cold,
with French or mayonnaise dressing. Very