Cookaholics Bulletin Board

All,

We just picked up some white asparagus at -- of all places -- Costco. I've read all the instructions on peeling it, but they all say "to remove the hard, bitter peel". Well, we tasted it raw and the peel was neither hard nor bitter. So we just cooked it whole. It was fine; quite tasty, actually, even if I prefer green asparagus.

So, why should I have peeled it? Or is this some new variety of white asparagus?

Big white spargel country here... it is usually very fat, much bigger than any green I have seen (it is the same thing, they just hill it so it doesn't get any sun I believe)... and the bottom third has a thick skin that needs peeled. Maybe your asparagus was picked smaller.

I am also not such a big fan of the white although my husband prefers it due to its lack of pee scenting effect and its primary use as a vehicle for Hollandaise sauce. We still have a few months before we see any here.

Mary

Not my favorite either, but as Mary has attested to, it's big with some Europeans. I have a German friend and we were in (the big, bad) Walmart one day and saw it. He practically wept with joy, and promptly bought two bunches, which I believe he ate in one sitting.

Amy

I only bought it once & did peel it. It really didn't do anything for me either. Haven't bought it since.

Mary, Amy,

Yeah, probably this is younger stuff ... it's fat, but not more than older green asparagus. I didn't notice the whole pee thing until you mentioned it.

I have another pound, I was thinking of making a German soup with it.