Asparagus is such a delicious veggie. If you ask me, it's even better when you pick it yourself and bring it straight home to cook it. Wild asparagus is pretty abundant in many areas. If you love it, read on to learn how to find wild asparagus.
When searching for wild asparagus, there are specific regions that are more likely to have the plant than others. This map provided by the USDA has information on which counties in each state are the most likely to have wild asparagus growing there. It's not native to the U.S. but has been introduced and grows all over the country and in much of Canada.
When to Find Asparagus
Asparagus is similar to most of the fruits and vegetables simply due to the fact it flourishs in the late spring. The location determines when the wild asparagus will be fully ready to eat. The window of time can be as wide as March until June. A good indicator to know when the asparagus is ready is when lilacs begin to bud.
Thankfully, wild asparagus looks identical to asparagus that you’d find in a grocery store. You have to look closely, since it likes to grow in the tall grass. Scan the grass horizontally with your eyes and search for the "heads" - they stick out the most.
There are many ways to cook with asparagus and it mostly comes down to personal preference. I myself like drizzling a bit of olive oil and grinding a bit of salt on the asparagus and throwing it on the grill, like Serious Eats. For those who want more variety, I’d recommend the Martha Stewart’s “31 Days of Asparagus Recipes (Because Spring is Almost Here!)” slide show or even New York Times’ “26 Amazing Asparagus Recipes.” Both have vast selection of recipes and ways to eat them.
In conclusion, be mindful of what you do when wild asparagus hunting. Watch for the weather and area before you go and know what to look for before you start cutting the stalks. And most importantly, enjoy the experience and the eating!
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