Have you ever picked up a bunch of asparagus and noticed that there are thick stalks (up to almost an inch in diameter) and thin tiny ones? We always assumed that the thin asparagus was the younger and more tender choice. We recently talked to our local asparagus grower at the farmer’s market, Zuckerman’s Farm. Turns out, the thicker stalks are the younger and more tender asparagus and the thinner asparagus is actually the older and tougher choice of the two.
While in Italy this year, we tried wild asparagus for the first time. It was delicious, but super thin (older). That means, you guessed it, tough. When people forage for wild asparagus it can be so tough that it needs to be soaked in water for hours before cooking it. The wild asparagus tends to be bitter, so its often topped with various sauces – which are delicious by the way.