When buying asparagus these are some of the main points you need to remember to get the best tasting stalks:
1. When choosing asparagus, you want straight, firm stalks that have tightly closed dark green or purple tips. This indicates that it is fresh.
2. While the diameter of the stalks doesn't matter when it comes to taste, you want to choose asparagus that is all the same size so that they all have the same cooking time. If not, some will come out overcooked with others will be undercooked.
3. While asparagus is regular green asparagus that has been deprived of sunlight. This gives white asparagus a more mild flavor and makes it slightly more tender, but it also costs more.
4. It's best to eat asparagus within 2 to 3 days of purchase.
5. To keep asparagus fresh, store it in the refrigerator with the tips wrapped in a moist paper towel.
6. Before cooking, bend the asparagus stalk in half. The stalk will naturally break — the bottom half you can throw away and the top half will be perfect for cooking.
