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Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK once a farmer is done with an asparagus field they often plow it out, which sometimes requires several passes. And so my field has been plowed out and this is my last Asparagus FunFactMonday. Cheers and Thank You for your support & reposts!
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that Asparagus is a versatile vegetable and that it can even be used in baking? Check out these bad boy Asparagus Danishes that my local artisan bakery @Terroir in Cambridge ON made up to celebrate the local season. So good I had to try two!
Happy SuperFood FunFact Monday! Asparagus season is now here so go out and buy some! DYK that fresh asparagus is nutrient-dense, low in calories, & provides numerous health benefits? A simple way to enjoy it is roasted or grilled with olive oil, garlic, lemon & a little salt.
Happy SuperFood FunFact Monday! DYK that Asparagus season in the USA and Canada is now here? Asparagus spears are sprouting out of the ground; however, some frosty nights have really slowed production and product going to grocery retailers. Expect full supply by Mothers day
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! Asparagus season is near! DYK that cool early-spring nights play a big roll in how asparagus tastes? Cool nights reduce sugar loss so more sugars remain in the spear by morning. More sugar = sweeter flavour, better balance & more tender texture!
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that in early spring, asparagus spears emerge before the plant starts photosynthesizing? Early season spear growth is fueled almost entirely by stored carbohydrates (energy) in the crown and roots, produced during the previous growing season.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! Asparagus harvest is almost here! DYK that the vigor of spring growth depends on: 1/ How healthy the fern growth was last year; 2/ how much energy was stored; 3/ whether the plant had proper winter chilling; & 4/ the soil health and moisture.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! Spring is here and Asparagus harvest has begun in Washington! DYK that Asparagus has one of the fastest "wake-up' growth spurts in the plant world? Once it comes out of dormancy, spears can grow up to 7"-10" in a single day under ideal conditions
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK even though Asparagus is a hardy perennial, it's early-emerging spears are susceptible to damage from spring frosts? Freezing temps can cause spears to become unmarketable, but the crown usually survives, producing new spears within a few days
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that during the early 18th century asparagus was so popular that its own serving utensils were created? Originally, two styles existed, including the scissor action style and the sprung U- shape resembling contemporary sugar tongs.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that according to Google & ChatGPT the most popular downloaded Asparagus recipie is oven roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus. Ready in just 15 minutes-add some grated parmesan cheese & panko breadcrumbs to the oiled spears to pick it up a notch!
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that a single asparagus crown can produce between 100 - 200 spears in a season depending on the size of the crown and the energy reserves contained within?
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that If you want vigorous Asparagus spears in the spring, you must to take care of the fern in the fall? Every spear is powered by last year’s stored root carbohydrates; basically, asparagus is running on last season’s savings account!
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that Asparagus was first referenced in medical texts by Hippocrates in ~400 BCE? It was the Romans though who truly industrialized Asparagus; they developed methods for intensive planting, harvest timing, and for drying asparagus for storage.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that Asparagus is rich in Prebiotics like inulin which helps feed the good bacteria in your gut like Bifidobacteria, helping them grow and thrive and making it an excellent food to support gut health.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK many consider asparagus as evolutionarily odd? Grows like a grass; stores energy underground like a bulb; looks like a fern; makes tiny flowers & seeds for birds; yet it lives for decades. This combo is unusual and typically does not exist!
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! Feb. is here, so Asparagus season is near! DYK that asparagus harvest can start as early as late March in Washington? Washington state is the USA's 2nd largest asparagus producing area, located primarily in the Tri-City area of the Columbia basin
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! DYK that Asparagus is mildly allelopathic? Although, its not not an aggressive chemical bully like black walnut, allelopathy is when a plant releases biochemical compounds that influence the growth, survival or reproduction of other plants.
Happy SuperFood FunFact Monday! Here's some tips for cooking different sized asparagus: Thin spears are best sautéed, blanched, or steamed (cook for 2–5 min); for medium spears, they're best sautéed or roasted (cook for 5–10 min) & for thick spears, roast or grill for 10–15 min.
Happy SuperFood FunFactMonday! Our love for Asparagus is nothing new! Ancient Romans valued it so highly they stored asparagus in Alpine snow to enjoy it year-round; an early, ingenious version of freezing food centuries before refrigerators existed.