I held this asparagus up to the sky in order to improve the background of my photo, but it was also a slightly triumphant moment. Not that I have any real right to feel a sense of triumph regarding asparagus grown not by me, but by friend and farmer Daniel Oles. But there is something innately celebratory about that first bunch of spring asparagus. This year it's coming in early, a good sign for our growing season if the frost stays away. For the last month I have gorged myself on ramps, where each garlicky bite tastes of renewal and earth, but as much as I enjoy them, they are an accompaniment for the most part. By comparison, asparagus is hefty and more satisfying--even when it's pencil thin.
The Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market opens this Saturday, and I have it on good authority from farmer Tony Weiss that ramps and asparagus will be available, as will crusty, hyperlocal bread from Five Points Bakery, fresh eggs from Painted Meadow, a sundry of dairy products from White Cow Dairy (many of which would make adequate substitutes for the mayo in the recipe below) and other tasty treasures.
I am looking forward to an asparagus-filled month of May. I prefer my
asparagus to taste of, well, asparagus, so I avoid the heavy
hollandaise and butter sauces the pros of yesteryear used to love to
smother it with. Here's my favorite way to prepare it--and if you don't
have access to farm fresh asparagus, where it is pulled from the ground
and never requires the application of heat--well, we need to do
something about that. In my opinion, this sandwich would be ruined by asparagus that
had spent even a second in a steaming pan of water, so use only the most
delicate and tender stalks, fresh and at room temperature--or better
yet, still warm from the sun at the market. You won't regret it.
Fresh Asparagus Sandwich
Good quality crusty bread
Fresh from the farm asparagus, raw (the thinner the better)
Fresh mayo (if you don't have time to make it yourself, at least buy the good stuff)
Shavings of good quality Parmesan cheese (excellent substitution: ricotta insalta)
Freshly ground pepper
Boston lettuce leaves or baby Arugula
Assemble and enjoy. A slight alteration of this recipe would be to toast the bread, avoid the mayo and add a freshly fried egg. Just a thought.
I'll be checking this market out for the first time this Saturday.
We usually go to the public market in Rochester.
It's awesome!
http://www.cityofrochester.gov/publicmarket/