When you see Ontario’s green asparagus flood grocery stores and restaurant menus, you know spring has arrived. A small percentage of dainty white asparagus—hidden by soil from sunlight to prevent chlorophyll production, which would turn them green—are also grown in the province.
Once the soil is warm, the buds begin to poke out of the ground, and the spears transform overnight: asparagus shoots can grow multiple inches in a day. As each stem is snipped at the bottom after reaching the desired height, another spear begins to grow in its place. If you don’t cut off the branch, the plant will mature into a leafy pine tree; picture a six-foot tall fluffy fern.
But size isn’t everything when it comes to buying asparagus. It’s about freshness. Whether you prefer jumbo asparagus or delicate thin spears, look for firm, (relatively) straight stems with compact heads. For storing, stand them straight in a container of water to keep the stems crisp and hydrated.
Dubbed “the food of kings,” the elegant asparagus was fancied by the Roman Emperor Augustus, Julius Caesar, and King Louis XIV (aka the Sun King, aka the one who turned Versailles from a hunting lodge to a royal palace). France’s Sun King even had hothouses built at Versailles so his highness could enjoy asparagus all year round.
Eat like royalty at The Commodore, Parkdale’s 35-seat seafood spot that opened last fall. Chef Jon Vettraino recently introduced “Florentine Asparagus” to the menu: green asparagus spears poke out from a blanket of pickled ramps and buttered maitake mushrooms. There’s prosciutto tucked in on the side and an egg, sunny side up, rests atop the bright, spring dish.
Ontario asparagus season is short, from May through June, so stalk up! The homegrown delicacy is packed with vitamin A and C, it’s a good source of folate, and it’s full of dietary fibre. You can even freeze asparagus—just blanch them first.
Ontario asparagus is currently available at local farmer's markets, and will be hitting grocery store shelves next week! Hello, spring!
