How to buy the best asparagus at the supermarket (and how to keep it fresh for as long as possible)
As far as I’m concerned, spring has only truly begun once I’ve eaten a plate of asparagus. Complete with boiled eggs, ham and hollandaise sauce. YUM. Now that asparagus season has started, so has the search for the very best asparagus. How do you know whether you really have white (or green) gold in your hands?
The first asparagus of the year came—once again—from Jan and Carmen from Liessel. Every year, the Brabants Asperge Genootschap organizes a competition among its affiliated asparagus growers, in which they compete to produce the first asparagus from open fields, grown in asparagus beds without artificial aids. Jan and Carmen have already managed several times to win the title of ‘first 10 kilograms of open-field asparagus’.
Time to make asparagus, then! Your entire asparagus dish will be ruined if your asparagus isn’t good. How do you prevent that? By picking out the right asparagus. And by keeping it fresh at home for as long as possible. Yes, that last part is important too. Ideally, you eat it the same day, when it’s definitely fresh. But that isn’t always possible. So how do you make sure it’s still as good as possible a few days later?
The stalks and the tips
At the supermarket, asparagus is often already wrapped in plastic. Otherwise, you can try the ‘squeak test’: rub 2 asparagus spears together and listen for a squeaking sound. Squeaky asparagus means fresh asparagus. What should you look for if the squeak test is a no-go? I probably don’t need to tell you to leave asparagus that looks even slightly spoiled. I’m mainly talking about slimy asparagus or asparagus that already smells foul in the shop (once eaten, that smell is unavoidable—in your urine, that is). Purple or brown spots on white asparagus aren’t ideal either. They may taste bitter.
You want the stalk to be as shiny and white (or green) as possible. And also: as firm as possible. Do they feel spongy? And do they lean to the side when you hold them upright? Those aren’t good signs. You should also pay attention to the ends of the asparagus. The tips, in other words. They should be narrow and closed. Are they already open and spread out on the shelf? Then they aren’t super fresh. Proudly upright, shiny and with closed tips: those are signs that the asparagus is at its best.
Cool and moist
Right, you’ve picked the best asparagus from the shelf. How do you keep it as fresh as possible at home? Wrap white, unpeeled asparagus in a damp tea towel and place it at the bottom of the vegetable drawer. You can keep it for around 2 to 4 days. Have you got green asparagus? Put it in an open plastic bag. Make sure the bottom stays moist, otherwise it will dry out very quickly. You can also keep this in the fridge for 2 to 4 days. But remember: the sooner you eat it, the fresher it is and the better it tastes. So go ahead and buy it on the day you plan to eat it. And serve it the old-fashioned way, with a modern twist or (top tip!) in a pasta with lemon and peas.
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