Two of my favorite vegetables, these kids are delicious…and photogenic, to boot! A few factoids:
Avocados
Avocados are in season in the springtime.
The most common type of avocado is the Haas avocado (the kind with purply-black, bumpy skin), which is primarily grown in California.
When purchasing, look for avocados that are firm yet yielding under gentle pressure, and heavy for their size. You can also try pulling off the stem; if you see green underneath, the avocado is ripe.
If you need to ripen one up in a jiff, try putting it in a brown paper bag at room temperature; that should speed up the process.
You should serve avocados immediately after cutting open, because they discolor quickly. To prevent them from browning (at least for awhile), squeeze over a little lemon or lime juice.
Asparagus
Asparagus is also at its best during the spring months (shoot for April, but you can generally find excellent specimens anytime between February and June).
Green asparagus (the type most commonly found in the US) varies dramatically in terms of thickness. I like the thicker stuff for salads, and prefer thinner stalks for roasting (most people prefer thinner asparagus because it’s tender and less stringy).
White asparagus has a milder, more delicate flavor, while the even more hard-to-come by purple asparagus is more robust (and usually quite thick).
When buying asparagus, look for stems that are bright green with slightly darker tips, have no brown spots, and don’t droop. Also, inspect the ends for freshness; the drier-looking they are, the longer the asparagus has been sitting out.
