Bright Ideas

I don’t know what kings ate, but if they were smart, they would have dined on the sumptuous spears of asparagus to be found, wild, on stream or river edges. That’s where they grew in Columbus, Montana, although I had never eaten asparagus yet, so didn’t know the royal, wild vegetable I was missing.

As a child, only my father ate asparagus, and my mother cooked it for him—probably overcooked it, the way Grandma prepared it. The result would have been a mushy, Army green vegetable. To this day I refuse to eat anything that color. Properly cooked, the spears turn bright green and are eaten then, slightly al dente.

My husband had been allergic to asparagus in younger years, but I wanted to grow some. My mother-in-law had a crop in her garden, but my father-in-law had over-generously shared it with others, and she never was able to revive the patch. Brice was visiting his parents in the nursing home, and told them he was getting me asparagus roots from a seed catalog.

Madlon Brence was visiting her husband, Bill, in the nursing home and over-heard Brice explain to his parents the upcoming order. “No, don’t do that,” she said, “I’m dividing mine in the country; I’ll bring you some.” Brice received an entire box full! The row was prepared, clumps divided and left to grow for a couple of years.

Every spring we wait, hold our breaths, and then exhale when the first spears are cut. These are tender, fat spears, full of the best of spring— so unlike those commercially sold. Thick, luxurious spears offer mouth watering goodness, and Brice is no longer allergic to them! Is that a blessing of over 70 years? In prosperous years we have enough to share; in very prosperous years, we have gotten tired of eating it every day, and been happy to give it away.

Over the years, we’ve gotten smarter, and cover the vulnerable crop with a tarp on freezing nights, and frosty mornings. I don’t know what kings enjoyed in early spring, but the peasants would have discovered and dined on the wild spears.

Did Native Americans enjoy them? Were they present thousands of years ago? I haven’t tried them raw; did hunter-gathers enjoy them?

Our first spears were cut April 20, 2017. We cut more the next day and had a meal’s worth. Our son-in-law likes fresh asparagus; when we can share and he can cook, he will get one or two meal’s worth. It’s fun to enjoy and share the season’s best!

I think we need to divide our plants; when is the best time to do that? Madlon would know.

P.S. I apologize for typographical errors and choice of wrong tense in last week’s column. I need a better proof reader; Brice could do that.