My mother loved asperguts. Even to the point where she would sometimes buy… and serve… the canned version. It WAS better than canned spinach (an extremely low bar). But we did get fresh, at the grocery store, “in season”… which she cooked until it had the texture of the canned stuff. Blch. But she also kept the “trimmed ends” aside and would cut them into thin rounds and put them with milk, salt and pepper into the pan in which she’d just fried some onions in butter, then simmer until they were al dente. THAT was delicious. I never asked her why she boiled the “good parts” to death, but once out of her house, began to cook it until just … right. I also like it real well when it is coated in EVOO and a little lemon juice, then roasted until the tips are … just … barely crunchy, Ahhh.
“Boiled to death” is the mantra for almost any restaurant serving vegetables.. I did have some broccoli the other day, though, that wasn’t gray and mushy. Cheers to the chef!
Never been able to bring myself to try it and I won’t now! It’s enough that I tried artichokes. I’ll stick with corn, peas, and green beans, thank you.
I hardly understand why people boil vegetables. They’re so much better roasted, and it’s no harder: you put it in the stove instead of on top of the stove. That might be why kids of my generation didn’t like vegetables. They’re even usually good raw.
This is well timed. The first summer farmers’ market opens today, and I am told there will be asparagus. Yum. Ist das nicht die Spargelzeit? Ja, das ist die Spargelzeit!
“Boiled to death” is the operative word/phrase. It is the secret for broccoli too. I love those things just past “blanched” without the ice water quench. So much better than baked or grilled … a waste of fresh.
Eat a baby fern? Eww! (actually I like it sauteed with a couple strips of bacon, then steamed until al dente, serve with grated pecorino or really strong feta. Good for breakfast with mayonnaise lightly tainted with sriracha.)
My family grew it for market. What we didn’t sell, we ate – now or later. Was SOOOO glad when we got a deep-freeze, no more canned asparagus. And yeah, my grandma cooked it until it was DEAD!
The standard joke about having stuck around for the year 2021 or thereabouts is, “Where’s my jet pack?” I’m glad it’s still just a joke. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with a jet pack, unless you picture how well everybody drives the stuff we do have — cars, big-ass cars, electric scooters, (and yes) bicycles — and picture trying to share three dimensions worth of potential wrong turns with them on combustible flying machines a guaranteed-injurious-in-a-fall distance above the deck.
And besides, we’re walking around with technology on our wrists and in our pockets well beyond what we were too busy thinking about jet packs to think of.
And not to ruin anybody’s trip down nostalgia lane, some of the miracles didn’t need to be that spectacular. They only needed to be finally figuring out that it was possible to do the obvious if we just quit doing things the way we had always done them. We didn’t even need new technology. At least I’m pretty sure that by the time we had the resources and skills to boil vegetables, we already had what we needed to roast or steam them.
And that’s the next type of miracle I’m eager for. For one, I bet the owner’s manual is smaller.
The Chinese figured out how to cook all kinds of vegetables and make them tasty, The WOK is a great cooking device, along with sesame oil, soy sauce, lobster sauce, and garlic among other items to use.
Asparagus was okay when I was a kid, but much better now when cooked less. The bigger transformation is Brussels sprouts, which I swear nobody actually learned how to cook until the 1990s (and also, new varietals have been developed).
I have a 1980s cookbook with meticulous steps for dealing with Brussels sprouts, but I could never make those work.
waltermatera over 3 years ago
We live in an era where asparagus can be roasted and included in eggs Benedict. It’s a wonder!
Concretionist over 3 years ago
My mother loved asperguts. Even to the point where she would sometimes buy… and serve… the canned version. It WAS better than canned spinach (an extremely low bar). But we did get fresh, at the grocery store, “in season”… which she cooked until it had the texture of the canned stuff. Blch. But she also kept the “trimmed ends” aside and would cut them into thin rounds and put them with milk, salt and pepper into the pan in which she’d just fried some onions in butter, then simmer until they were al dente. THAT was delicious. I never asked her why she boiled the “good parts” to death, but once out of her house, began to cook it until just … right. I also like it real well when it is coated in EVOO and a little lemon juice, then roasted until the tips are … just … barely crunchy, Ahhh.
momofalex7 over 3 years ago
Asparagus is good raw, sautéed with pasta or wrapped in bacon and grilled.
GROG Premium Member over 3 years ago
But I’ll bet she does. My mom overcooked everything from burgers to turkey.
mobeydick over 3 years ago
Peru! Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should. Eat local.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member over 3 years ago
Lotta good thoughts in today’s strip.
GoBlue over 3 years ago
“Boiled to death” is the mantra for almost any restaurant serving vegetables.. I did have some broccoli the other day, though, that wasn’t gray and mushy. Cheers to the chef!
PammWhittaker over 3 years ago
Never been able to bring myself to try it and I won’t now! It’s enough that I tried artichokes. I’ll stick with corn, peas, and green beans, thank you.
Ignatz Premium Member over 3 years ago
I hardly understand why people boil vegetables. They’re so much better roasted, and it’s no harder: you put it in the stove instead of on top of the stove. That might be why kids of my generation didn’t like vegetables. They’re even usually good raw.
prrdh over 3 years ago
This is well timed. The first summer farmers’ market opens today, and I am told there will be asparagus. Yum. Ist das nicht die Spargelzeit? Ja, das ist die Spargelzeit!
jessegooddoggy over 3 years ago
I had a beautiful black cat who loved asparagus, cooked or raw.
Old Girl over 3 years ago
“Boiled to death” is the operative word/phrase. It is the secret for broccoli too. I love those things just past “blanched” without the ice water quench. So much better than baked or grilled … a waste of fresh.
sandpiper over 3 years ago
Guess who eats ‘boiled’ dinners.
Serial Pedant over 3 years ago
Eat a baby fern? Eww! (actually I like it sauteed with a couple strips of bacon, then steamed until al dente, serve with grated pecorino or really strong feta. Good for breakfast with mayonnaise lightly tainted with sriracha.)
billdaviswords over 3 years ago
I seriously doubt that most kids love (or even eat) asparagus, non-boiled or not.
Bruce388 over 3 years ago
Mom used to boil the nutrients out of broccoli and give it to me during our Sunday dinners.
scaeva Premium Member over 3 years ago
HORK! HORK! HORK! HORK! HORK!
spaced man spliff over 3 years ago
We had the CHEAP canned asparagus—tips removed.
kth0mpsn over 3 years ago
My family grew it for market. What we didn’t sell, we ate – now or later. Was SOOOO glad when we got a deep-freeze, no more canned asparagus. And yeah, my grandma cooked it until it was DEAD!
gcarlson over 3 years ago
My favorite way is to roll it in olive oil and grill it 4 min. per side. I have wire baskets with handles to make turning easier.
oakie817 over 3 years ago
i love asparagus…all ways, including raw
Banjo Gordy Premium Member over 3 years ago
Best gently microwaved !
falcon_370f over 3 years ago
I am with Frazz, Asparagus, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Peas and Lima Beans the five foods that are hardest to get kids to eat.
SofaKing over 3 years ago
Grilled or steamed are the only ways we cook asparagus.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 3 years ago
Jef Mallett’s Blog Posts
Frazz 16 hrs ·
The standard joke about having stuck around for the year 2021 or thereabouts is, “Where’s my jet pack?” I’m glad it’s still just a joke. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with a jet pack, unless you picture how well everybody drives the stuff we do have — cars, big-ass cars, electric scooters, (and yes) bicycles — and picture trying to share three dimensions worth of potential wrong turns with them on combustible flying machines a guaranteed-injurious-in-a-fall distance above the deck.
And besides, we’re walking around with technology on our wrists and in our pockets well beyond what we were too busy thinking about jet packs to think of.
And not to ruin anybody’s trip down nostalgia lane, some of the miracles didn’t need to be that spectacular. They only needed to be finally figuring out that it was possible to do the obvious if we just quit doing things the way we had always done them. We didn’t even need new technology. At least I’m pretty sure that by the time we had the resources and skills to boil vegetables, we already had what we needed to roast or steam them.
And that’s the next type of miracle I’m eager for. For one, I bet the owner’s manual is smaller.
bike2sac over 3 years ago
The Chinese figured out how to cook all kinds of vegetables and make them tasty, The WOK is a great cooking device, along with sesame oil, soy sauce, lobster sauce, and garlic among other items to use.
JymDyer over 3 years ago
Asparagus was okay when I was a kid, but much better now when cooked less. The bigger transformation is Brussels sprouts, which I swear nobody actually learned how to cook until the 1990s (and also, new varietals have been developed).
I have a 1980s cookbook with meticulous steps for dealing with Brussels sprouts, but I could never make those work.
comicboyz over 3 years ago
except if you live in Michigan (as does Frazz and the writer) it comes from Holland Michigan on the west coast.