Newsletter - Christmas 2011

Christmas is Coming

But now, here we are in December and Christmas is not very far away. We've just published a page on Christmas catering ideas using asparagus. We have a few more Christmas recipes to add and some photos to go in but take a look now and check back over the next week and you'll see more ideas popping up.

One of my favourite easy party recipes is Filo pastry with asparagus and goats cheese rolls. I made these the other day to get some photo's to put on the site and was reminded of what a light, tasty treat they are, easy to make and easy to eat too many of!

If you receive our blog feed you will see all the new recipes as they go up.

Christmas Shopping

If you are stuck for gift ideas and have a loved one who loves asparagus you’d be surprised at some of the asparagus themed gifts out there.

You could buy some thick white asparagus from La Tienda, or Jamie Oliver’s latest cookery book features a spread on Asparagus in the Vale of Evesham. There are links to both of these purchases on our Christmas Page.

For a bit of a laugh you could try a slug picker upper or something a bit more conventional like a steamer or a juicer.

There are also lots of asparagus themed serving dishes, aprons and the like and plenty of gardening gifts for the asparagus growers in your family.

Southern Hemisphere Season

If you are reading this in New Zealand or Australia we hope you are making the most of your season. There are a few ways you can bring the taste of your home grown or local asparagus back later in the year.

1. Every time you eat asparagus keep the tough ends that you cut off and put them in the freezer. By the end of the season you will have plenty of ends to keep you in asparagus soup for some time to come.

2. Freeze some of the fresh produce when it’s at its freshest / when you have a glut / when it’s at its cheapest. Follow our blanching instructions for how to freeze asparagus. I have actually found that really fresh asparagus frozen well is perfect for using in pastry dishes. See my filo pastry with asparagus and Goats Cheese Rolls (when I put it up!). It also stir fry’s very well and chops up into asparagus and mushroom or asparagus and shrimp/ prawn sauce just as well as fresh asparagus. And it makes a very good asparagus soup.

3. Try drying some of your excess produce or canning it.

Thinking of Growing Asparagus?

If you are thinking of growing asparagus the Northern Hemisphere planting season will be with us in the spring and you need to have yourself sorted out well in advance. Now might not be the time to be doing much of the work but its definitely a good time to start doing the research and planning. What variety are you going to plant? Have you sorted out where you are going to plant them and where you are going to buy your crowns or seed?

Get yourself organised over Christmas while you have a little time to sit back and think…..

Planning next years holidays?

After the whirl of Christmas our thoughts often turn to the new year and holidays. Check for the dates of asparagus festivals and see if you can get to one as part of a holiday. If you live locally to a festival make sure you are at home around that time so as not to miss out.