Demystify asparagus!

Asparagus is a vegetable mainly composed of water, available fresh during the months of April and May. There are several varieties: green, white, violet and wild asparagus.

Interesting fact: purple asparagus are actually regular ones picked up before maturity. Like the white asparagus, they grow under a mound of soil where they must be handpicked, one by one.

Choose & preserve

When you choose your asparagus bunch, look out for three criteria: they look firm, smooth (not “wrinkled”) and buds should be closed  tight. To keep them crisp and fresh, wrap them in a damp paper towel and place it the vegetable fridge drawer.

Cooking tips

Before cooking asparagus, the lower part of the stem must be removed. With your fingers, gently bend the end of the asparagus until a small portion breaks. To reduce waste, you can keep those to make your own vegetable stock.

Unsolved mystery

It's no secret, a certain smell can be notice at the bathroom after having asparagus… It's perfectly normal people! What you smell is ammonia, created from a chemical reaction during the digestive process. In other words, the stomach decomposes asparagus into several molecules, including methyl mercaptan. It’s the same matter that is being produced by skunks when spraying away predators.