The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-15
WAYS TO SERVE ASPARAGUS
THE SIMPLER THE BETTER ~
TINE VEGETABLE ~ GOOD.
the Pollsh AIethod. which Calls Ter
a baking win nEead Crumbs. one way
~ Disgulslhg an inferior FlaVoT
Egg ana Butter Sometimes Osed.

matter u aapaf4sn a. uae Aot ueeN
known for decades Of years. Already Tiers
come from California storios that growers
are burning their product 70 keep the price
from sinking too low. while the canning
factories are working overtime. Here In
New York the price Of asparagus at the
beginning Of tho season showed that
this was going 10 be a good year. The
jersey supply had not arrived then it Is
true, aud the best d the market az Is cents
a bunch came from the West or south.
Il had favor enough az that early season.
however. 10 satisfy the New Yorker
hungry for the first Of this spring prod
uct. and although the best Of the Jersey
crop did not sell so cheaply Il costs less
this year than sver before.
There h always the complaint that
asparagus has. like the other vegetables
brought from afar. ceased TO Po@sess it-
full favor. There Il Of course truth in this.
although Il would b. a somewhat oaptious
eater who quarrelled with the results 10
be obtained from the well cooked New
Jersey asparagus that h brought now to
the markets. Those persons who think
that the cheaper brands possess favor
enough for combinations in cooking
spend less money than they would u
they bought the best. There can DO no
discussion Of the fact that asparagus In
its best estate IL boiled and served with
no other enrichment than Hollandaise or
melted butter sauce. This u the Way Of
preparing Il. however. that depends mostly
on the natural excellence Of the vegetable
Only the best asparagus Is enjoyed most
when served in this simple way.
The cooking Of plain asparagus is sim
plicity itself. Il should be unwrapped
from the bunch when brought home and
when the tough ends have been cut OF
put into cold water for half an hour with
a teaspoonful Of salt to every quart OF
water Then it should he boiled for
twenty-five minutes, and when taken
from the FIRE the water should be drained
OF and the asparagus served on buttered
toast. Drawn butter sauce 10 thought
by many TO bring out the favor better
than any other kind, although the taste
fulness Of q smooth flowing Hollandaise
cannot be denied especially in these days
when the natural favor il a matter Of
uncertainty.
Here then Is the asparagus in itself.
with none Of the incidental cmbelhsh-
ments invented by the resOurceful chef
to hide the absence Of natural flavor. A
more elaborate method Of preparing the
vegetable u most popular In regions where
il il NO abundant that IL eau be treated a.
an ordinary vegetable. The asparagus n
boiled just a. II Il we're going 10 be served
intact and then cut into small piecas
not more than two inches long and out
into a vegetable dish from which the
diners help themselves Just az they would
10 peas or potatoes. This way o. sorv-
ing II 10 especially popular in country
regions IN which there n 30 much Of the
plant that IL presence occasions no more
comment than squash and leets A
method not unlike this ami eel acially
appropriate to the serving u asna ragtis
that may he tough or not very fresh Is
10 use only the points, % iahcs mighty
Inv grate asparagus not 10 he fresh and
tasteful about its green ends, After they
have h"en cut FROM the stalk the hca,fs
are boiled for a brieier period than the
whole stalk In p epa-InR II say a quarter
Of an hour, and are then served with
drawn butter A. peas would be- Some
times there h a rich cream sauce served
with them. OF all the so-called timed
asparagus for winter use there Ia none
that preserves its flavor W well az the
points d'a~perge. a. thew are called
Now come some of the vaIsous NAYS Of
preparing asparagus with other thoughts
than preserving ia favor in mind These
methods are not recommended for the
vegetable in it, best cOndit on but rather
20 make Il seem a. good as the best by
attention from the subject
matter % the treatment. There IL one
additional way ~ improving even second
and third grade asparagus. and even
hrnt Tor that matter when the aeaaon Il
very young. which cannot he classad a.
a means u cooking L. This IL a good
scrapiuE Of the outside Of the STALKS
II IL a mistake to cut Oh too much Of the
tough skin. but by scraping Il very closely
with a sharp knife much Of the hard
outside covering NAV be removed That
improves all but the hest asparagus.
The Polish method Of cooking asnaragus
does not necessarily alter IL favor al
though Il adds a different rest Over tbe
points after the stalks have been boiled
iaken out % hot water and laid on a
leHyy china platter That can stand heat
are scattered crumbs OF toasted bread
lniil here = a dressing over y about
quarter OF an inch thick Then the
platter - put INTO the oven long enough |
Tor thls 20 hAruen into crisp crust over
he points
similar method IL employed by the |
Italians IN cooking the somev hat inferior I
laiural asparagus that they serve IN /
heir restaurants herr. They sprinkle I
'heese over the points. put The asparagus |