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On your mark... get set... Asparagus.

Posted at 12:29 PM on May 2, 2008 by Timothy Baird (19 Comments)

This locavore thing has got me a little whacked out.

Saturday morning and the alarm goes off at 6:45am. I pop up, jump into whatever clothing I step on, rinse my mouth out with apple juice and I'm briskly out the door to the farmers' market - racing the other crazies to this year's first cuttings.

We live within walking distance to the market but at this time of the week it's more like a reluctant jogging distance than anything else - way too close for the car or even a bike and just far enough that walking seems - well - like walking.

As I arrive I find myself muttering "What the hell are all these other people doing here... the market doesn't open for another three minutes!"

I snake through the potted herbs and slip past the coolers of frozen meat my pace quickening. As I pass the gazebo and round the corner I see it prominently displayed, shining even in the morning air. The object of this moment's compulsion. My prize. I break into full stride and almost dive into the farmer's table my money in hand.

Safe.

Comments (19)

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Hmmm....looks like I'll be setting my alarm for 6:35 tomorrow.

Posted by meghan | May 2, 2008 12:46 PM

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Ah, fresh asparagus! We're a long way away from that in So. Maine, but our first planting of peas are up in the garden and we're approaching fiddlehead season . . . you'll be well into summer heat and humidity before we "catch up!" As an aside, the Maine Council of Churches, through their Environmental Justice Program, has launched a "Good Apple Project" that invites Mainers to commit to buying at least $10 of locally produced foods in support of our neighbor farmers. It's a start! Draws a larger number of people's attention to eating local goals . . . Sweet!

Posted by Tim D. | May 2, 2008 12:53 PM

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I'll race you both. There's really nothing better this time of year than the taste of freshly cut asparagus, dressed with little more than a small pat of butter and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. And knowing that these spears are here for such a short time...no wonder you're hoarding Tim.

Posted by kiyah | May 2, 2008 12:56 PM

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It's quite exciting to hear that even communities in the snowy northeast are taking on the challenges of local eating...and encouraging others to do so as well, no matter how small of a commitment this might be. Tim D., your post reminded me of an article that was published in the NY Times recently- I thought it might interest all readers who haven't seen it yet.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-lede-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=why+bother&st=nyt&oref=slogin

Posted by kiyah | May 2, 2008 1:01 PM

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You are weird -- but duh we knew that!

I dislike the stuff - not to eat - that is fine, but I dislike its after effects! I wonder if there are herbs that counteract the sulfide compounds smell it gives one's urine. I am sure that not everyone can detect this smell - but my smeller is a good one (no cracks about its size).

Mexicans use epizote with beans as an antiflatulent (it is also an anthelmintic). What the world needs is a sort of "beano" for asparagus to counter the smell.

Posted by Tom | May 2, 2008 1:04 PM

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kiyah, thanks for the NYTimes article. Very interesting and well worth a read. And,to top it off, a nice tribute to the Native American culture.

Posted by Tim D. | May 2, 2008 1:16 PM

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I think I owe everyone an apology for a confusing reference. The "tribute to Native American culture" comment actually refers to a link Kiyah sent me separately--which I incorrectly assumed was the article mentioned here. My bad.

Posted by Tim D. | May 2, 2008 3:51 PM

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/dining/30come.html?pagewanted=1

Here is the article I mentioned-the one about eating endangered species.

I am not going to paraphrase, so here's the first few words to pique your interest:

SOME people would just as soon ignore the culinary potential of the Carolina flying squirrel or the Waldoboro green neck rutabaga. To them, the creamy Hutterite soup bean is too obscure and the Tennessee fainting goat, which keels over when startled, sounds more like a sideshow act than the centerpiece of a barbecue.

But not Gary Paul Nabhan. He has spent most of the past four years compiling a list of endangered plants and animals that were once fairly commonplace in American kitchens but are now threatened, endangered or essentially extinct in the marketplace. He has set out to save them, which often involves urging people to eat them.

Posted by Jeremy | May 2, 2008 7:58 PM

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The Germans have a kind of asparagus called "Spargel". Actually, for them, there is no other kind of asparagus, since the word "Spargel" means asparagus in German. It's all white, and in my opinion, has a better texture and flavor than the green kind we have here in the states. My German grandmother wishes she could get the stuff in the U.S., but I've never seen it here in Maine. I'm not disparaging the green stuff, because I also like that, but to have the Spargel with a nice white fish and some small potatoes tossed in butter and parsley is to enter German heaven, which consists of excellent food and beer and perfect grammar. If you ever find the white asparagus, Tim, buy it at once, no matter the cost.

And I promise to email you soon outside of this blog.

Posted by Luke Pola | May 3, 2008 2:05 AM

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Question: if you travel a lot does being a locavore make you a hypocrite?

I just bought some locally produced hot sauce and it gave me a thrill that you just dont get from going to the supermarket (i got to meet the guy who makes the stuff!) but then i had a thought.

I wonder if someone who travels a lot can be a locavore. You see, does it count that you travel hundreds or thousands of miles to buy locally produced food? For example, if Tim were to drive up to DC and buy local produce, does that defeat the environmental intent behind the whole movement?

Posted by Jeremy | May 13, 2008 2:46 PM

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Dear Meghan,

You gotta ask yourself one question...

t

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 2:55 PM

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Hey Tim D.,

Thanks for writing in. That 'Good Apple Project' sounds great. Very interesting that a council of churches is broadcasting the local message. What can I say - it's good to have God on our side.

And fear not - you may be envious of our asparagus now... but come fall, Randall's orchard is going to taste mighty nice and we don't have anything like that down here.

Peace,

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 3:00 PM

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Yo Kiyah,

So where do we stand on hoarding, by the way? I see two ways to look at it:

1) If I buy 6 bunches of asparagus then someone else is probably going to be out of luck.

2) If the farmer sells out early and folks come asking for asparagus then the farmer will probably grow more of it in the future.

You say hoarding - I say economic stimulus...

Yes?

t

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 3:06 PM

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Hi Tom,

I gotta hand it to you. You had the huevos to take the food blog into the bathroom and point out the elephant in the corner.

And in doing so you've unwittingly touched one of my favorite aspects of asparagus. I'm in the process of detailed experiments with my hoarded stems. I will certainly communicate my results with the blog at the appropriate time (if that time ever comes) but for now the whole project is on the down low.

Shhhh.

t

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 3:18 PM

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Tim D. and Jeremy,

Tim, I certainly I appreciate your courtesy on the site... and absolutely we can understand slip-ups in keeping all our internet conversations straight.

And Jeremy, thank you for posting the link to article that Tim D. was probably referring to in the comment directly above yours.

It is a great quip - and something I will certainly say when I launch in the food section of the environmental conservation course that I'm teaching this summer: "If you want to protect a rare species - eat it!"

Three way high five.

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 3:34 PM

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Master Luke,

Your comments on Spargel are compelling - but I can't resist pointing out that your inability to acquire the german variety here in the US may be the bulk of its seduction. Keep in mind that the grass is always greener (in this case whiter) on the other side.

Still, your point is well taken and I pledge to consume Spargel the next time our paths cross (provided that Spargel has a path that can be crossed).

I think the white plant, the white fish, and the white potatoes will look good on a nice, clean, white plate. What do you think?

I love when you write in.

Posted by Tim Baird | May 14, 2008 3:51 PM

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Dear Jeremy,

If that was an attempt to cast stones... hit the weights, bro.

What kind of standards are you expecting a locavore to adhere to? Just because a person wants to change their diet to something potentially more sustainable doesn't mean they need to give up all of their other activities that consume energy... baby steps, my man.

If you would have traveled anyway - then eating locally wherever you are is not a contradiction.

If your life requires traveling - perhaps eating locally is one way to offset your carbon footprint.

And if you're making a 1000 mile round-trip voyage just to buy your groceries... well I hope you choke on them.

Peace,
t

Posted by Tim Baird | May 15, 2008 5:17 PM

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Tim

I was outraged, outraged I say, to read your response. I am going to start my own organization of more committed locovores who wont travel except for on foot.

But seriously, i take your point-and it all comes back to some of themes i see on this blog. I think being more aware of where your food comes from is certainly a good thing. I was listening on the radio this morning - the bbc has declared this Amazon rainforest day and they were interviewing a Dutch women who was a strict vegetarian. She was horrified to learn that the soy products she buys were most likely from Brazil where they destroy the Amazon to plan large soy farms.

I am not sure we can know where everything we eat comes from or the exact damage a trip to visit some disgruntled college buddy in DC but its great to start thinking about it. And to name drop just a bit more-i was reading in the Economist that these gas gauges you get in cars now has really helped to lower gas consumption and that there's a plot afoot to get the same sort of thing into the house so you can see how much electricity an appliance uses.

So keep up spreading the good word, i am off now to hit the gym and its within walking distance!

Score 1 for me Tim, score 1 for me.

Jeremy

Posted by Jeremy | May 15, 2008 5:41 PM

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Damn skippy! Clean and white, that's the way everything should be. I kid, I kid. The potatoes can be RED. Yeah, unless you're a locavore in northern Deutschland, you're outta luck for the whole Spargel experience, but on the off chance that there's a crazy German expat outside of Brazil or Argentina who might be growing Spargel in your area, do not hesitate to snag it. Crispy and delicious. Crisplicious. Or Delispy. Take your pick. White or green, as long as it makes your pee smell funny, I approve.

I love it when I write in, too.

-Luke-

Posted by Luke | May 16, 2008 2:52 AM