Asparagus games

Anyone who enjoys theater of the absurd will get a laugh out of this: Our DEA's policy of subsidizing South American asparagus farmers to wean them from growing coca has been so successful that subsidized Peruvian asparagus are out-competing our homegrown ones here at home.

To make our domestic asparagus more competitive with imports, we're subsidizing American asparagus farmers too, under terms of the past and present Farm Bills. Asparagus are sprouting up in markets all over the U.S. this month. But where are they from?

Head to farmers markets and farm stands to ensure your spears didn't fly thousands of miles on jet fuel.

One astute food writer posted an analysis of the comical asparagus situation on a sustainable food web site. The piece cites a new film about the two-fisted taxpayer giveaway. If that's not enough reason to seek out local asparagus, consider that asparagus start losing their natural sweetness the moment they're picked.

So now, when sweet local asparagus overflow the markets, look for spears with unwrinkled, unblemished skin, tightly packed, pointed tips, moist flesh where they were cut, and defiantly stiff stalks. If you trim the less tender bottoms of the stalks, save them for asparagus soup. On warm days, serve this spring treat chilled, garnished with a swirl of tart yogurt. Peru produces some beautiful folk music. That's a good thing to purchase from that faraway land, not asparagus in springtime.

Asparagus Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped sweet onions

1 bay leaf

1 pound asparagus, roughly chopped (bottoms and scraps are fine)

4 cups stock or water

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

Plain yogurt to garnish

In a heavy soup pot, add the oil, onions, bay leaf and asparagus. Season the vegetables well with salt and white pepper. Cook gently over medium heat until the onions an asparagus are very soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer; cook 5 minutes more. Stir in peas; remove from heat and remove the bay leaf. Transfer soup to a blender; blend until very smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. For extra smooth soup, or if the asparagus bottoms were especially woody, pass the pureed soup through a strainer . Serve warm or chilled, garnished with a spoonful of plain yogurt.

LifeWire provides original and syndicated content to web publishers. Jay Weinstein, a chef trained at the Culinary Institute of America, is a New York based food writer, editor, and cookbook author. His food articles and recipes have been featured in The New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Newsday, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, and numerous other publications. His latest book, The Ethical Gourmet, focuses on ecologically sustainable fine foods. He's currently working on a book about sustainable use of water.