From the Garden of Historic Longstreet Farm: Asparagus

Did you know? Asparagus seeds are planted three years before the delicious spears can be harvested! 

It is known that asparagus was native to the Eastern Mediterranean and parts of Asia and grew in popularity in France and England in the 16th century. According to Science in the Kitchen, published in 1893, “The plant was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who not only used it as a table delicacy but considered it very useful in the treatment of internal diseases. Roman cooks provided themselves with a supply of the vegetable for winter use by cutting fine heads and drying them. When wanted, they were put into hot water and gently cooked.” The vegetable was later brought to North America by early colonists in the 1700s.

Asparagus happens to be the only perennial vegetable and is harvested each spring at Historic Longstreet Farm. Once established from either seeds or root cuttings, an asparagus bed should remain productive for approximately 15-20 years. The garden at the farm offers a glimpse of the variety of vegetables and fruits that would have been harvested and utilized for household meals during the late Victorian period.

Here are a few recipes that may have been used in local homes in the 1890s:

Asparagus Salad.

Boil the asparagus in salted water, being very careful not to break the caps; drain, and pour over it when a cold mayonnaise dressing, with some chopped parsley. Serve each person with three or four stems on a plate, with a little mayonnaise dressing. Do not use a fork; take the stems in the fingers and dip in the dressing.

From “Aunt Babette’s Cook Book” by Aunt Babette. The Bloch Publishing and Printing Co., Cincinnati and Chicago, 1889.

Asparagus with Eggs.

Boil a bunch of asparagus twenty minutes; cut off the tender tops and lay them in a deep pie plate, buttering, salting and peppering well. Beat up four eggs, the yolks and whites separately, to a stiff froth; add two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, a tablespoonful of warm butter, pepper and salt to taste. Pour evenly over the asparagus mixture. Bake eight minutes or until the eggs are set. Very good.
From “White House Cook Book: A Selection of Choice Recipes Original and Selected, during a period of forty years” by Mrs. F.L. Gillette. R. S.. Peale & Company, Chicago, 1887.

Asparagus Soup.

Wash two bunches of fresh asparagus carefully, and cut into small pieces. Put to cook in a quart of boiling water, and simmer gently till perfectly tender, when there should remain about a pint of the liquor. Turn into a colander, and rub all through except the hard portion. To a pint of asparagus mixture add salt and one cup of thin cream and a pint of milk; boil up for a few minutes, and serve.

From “Science in the Kitchen” by Mrs. E.E. Kellogg, A.M. Modern Medicine Publishing Co., Chicago, 1893.

Please Note: Due to the current pandemic, Historic Longstreet Farm is closed at this time. However, our interpretive staff continues to work daily to keep up with the daily farm chores and maintain this beautiful historic site.