Buying asparagus: pay attention to this
The asparagus season is short, so we want to make the most of it. Starting with this: never buy a bad batch. How do you prevent that? Three tips from asparagus grower Cees van Tiggelen.
Step 1: the sound
“It tastes as good as it sounds when it squeaks. And if it doesn’t squeak, you don’t have Limburg gold, but Limburg old.”
We couldn’t have put it better than Cees, but how exactly does it work? “When you rub the asparagus against each other, they should squeak. That means there is cell tension on the skin, so they haven’t dried out,” he explains.
Step 2: the color
“They should be beautifully white. If they are starting to change color — a little pinkish or brownish — then they are no longer fresh.”
Step 3: the ends
“The bottom should not be too cracked. If it is, they have dried out. Also pay attention to the tips: they should be nicely closed, otherwise too much sand will get inside and that is difficult to remove.”
Do your asparagus meet all the criteria? Then it’s time to buy them as quickly as possible and get them ready. How? Mr. Krabbendam, chef of the 2018 asparagus restaurant, has some tips for that.
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