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Asparagus |
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Known in the classical world of the Greeks and Romans who ate it both wild and cultivated, it became a fashion in Europe through the court of Louis XIV and since that time it has kept this aura of luxury and gourmet good taste.
Question: Name a food that can come in either White, Green or Purple?
Answer: An Asparagus Spear
Not many foods come in three colours and not many vegetables have such an aristocratic lineage as the asparagus.
Known in the classical world of the Greeks and Romans who ate it both wild and cultivated, it became a fashion in Europe through the court of Louis XIV and since that time it has kept this aura of luxury and gourmet good taste.
Asparagus is grown in mounds and when the shoot comes up into the light it becomes green but if it is harvested when still below the ground it stays white. This explains why it is more expensive as the white is obviously harder and more time consuming to harvest.
In Europe the white is highly prized possibly because it is only available for about a month or so in early Spring. In Australia it is has only recently been available in speciality markets because most Australians were introduced to fresh asparagus that was green and were not prepared to pay the higher price for the white.
In Spring in France and Italy wild asparagus grows beside country roads and it is not unusual to see cars pulled up with the driver and passengers sifting through the weeds to find the asparagus spears. This type of asparagus though can be very stringy and tough. In fact, contrary to popular belief, asparagus is one food that is better cultivated than wild.
Asparagus is a very easy vegetable to cook and, in season, not expensive. Whilst asparagus cookers are available it is just as simple to place in boiling water in a saucepan or in a microwave. To keep the colour in the green or purple, refresh quickly under cold water.
 white asparagus lends itself to longer cooking and pairs beautifully with a cream or cheese sauce, the spears of any colour are just as delicious when eaten on their own. Asparagus is a good source of Vitamin C and also contains some Vitamin E.
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