This week the Accidental Locvore’s farmbasket had two bunches of asparagus, a box of peas, radishes, mesclun, and some sprigs of sage that have already begun to flower (way ahead of mine).
However, there was also a note from Paul, saying that he thought it was the last week for asparagus. Too bad! I’ve barely begun to get into them. Still haven’t grilled them tossed in mayo and grilled, or shaved into a pizza or salad. And, not to be too fussy about them, but they were never very thick. Pencil thin asparagus are fine, but I really like mine a little beefy. The ultimate beefy asparagus were always at L’Ami Louis in Paris. They cost as much as the fois gras, but they were magnificent. We were there one night a long time ago, and a very pregnant woman was truly enjoying a plate of them. Her friends kept asking her to share them, but she was having no part of that. My husband, and every other man in the room, was trying not to stare…
I digress, this was supposed to be about peas and radishes. The peas are a little problematic, because they were so delicious, I ate most of them raw on the way home. So let’s hope there are more of them on the way. As for the radishes, I always feel really guilty cutting off the tops and tossing them. At the Taste of the Hudson Valley demonstration on Saturday at the Culinary Institute (affectionately known in theses parts as the CIA), Chef Robert told me I could use them as salad greens, so the next salad gets a big handful of radish greens. Have any of you used radish greens?
Yesterday at the brand new Food Hall at the Plaza there were great looking big beefy asparagus. Not quite L'Ami Louis size, but pretty impressive. Lots of other good looking things there too, including Todd English…