276807 Tue Mar 01 20:00:40 -0800 2005 5 31 Home Cooking 0 1461324 I just picked up some lovely white asparagus. I've had it in restaurants, but never cooked it myself. I'd love some suggestions for a simple home prep that will bring out the best in it. Tue Mar 01 20:00:40 -0800 2005 0 Chia 1 1461329 Steam it, and serve with some hollandaise. Tue Mar 01 20:46:54 -0800 2005 1461324 0 James G 2 1461335 Is steaming the best approach for white asparagus? Since it tends to be stringy and must be peeled (unlike green asparagus, oddly enough), I would have thought steaming would not work as well for white, since steaming tends to be used for more tender types. Tue Mar 01 22:20:00 -0800 2005 1461329 0 Karl S. 3 1461360 Savuer mag. ran a good story on white asparagus last year. Most preparations started with lightly peeling 3/4 of the stalk. It's also a good habit with the larger green stalks. Look into German or northern French applications. Wed Mar 02 08:03:51 -0800 2005 1461335 0 scottie 1 1461336 White asparagus is normally the only type eaten in Germany and the spears are cooked til almost limp, just like the French custom. Such a shame, but I never had the nerve to ask for my spargel a bit firmer. Boiling seems to be the standard preparation and during the season, shops carry specialized tools to fish out spears after cooking and unique serving dishes. Simpler is better. Personally, I enjoy the stronger taste of green asparagus more. Tue Mar 01 22:36:50 -0800 2005 1461324 0 Pork Butt 1 1461406 It's probably more work than you want to do, but years ago I ate at a restaurant in Brugges that served cuisine a la biere -- every course incorporated beer into the food. The most memorable course was asperges flamandes -- white asparagus in a very light beer sauce with chopped egg and ham sprinkled on it. Unbelievably good. Wed Mar 02 13:00:33 -0800 2005 1461324 0 josephsm