Yum!! Asparagus season has started
I don't post about my bread, mainly because I don't have a camera and photos really make a post, and while Akiko and Lumos are wonderful exceptions, all those years in Japan have left me hesitant to step foward to talk about my bread.
Today I just wanted to share my pleasure of eating my favourite lunch of the year, one I look forward to and repeat often for a few weeks. Growing up I used to love what we call asparagus rolls - thin sandwich bread, buttered, salt & peppered and wrapped around a spear of tinned asparagus. In those days an invite often included the line " ladies a plate". This meant to bring some food to share. I guess sausage rolls were the most popular, but my favorite on those occasions was always the asparagus rolls.
When I left home I discovered the joys of using very thinly sliced Vogel's bread (a moist rye based multigrain beloved by NZers), with just blanched fresh asparagus and a spritz of lemon. But then about 20 years ago on holiday in NZ at a cafe for lunch, I ordered an asparagus filled baguette - it was unexpectedly fantastic. Wonderful crunchy, flavoursome baguette, juicy, tasty asparagus, each showing the other off. Superb. Even better than Vogels!
This year the asparagus is about ten days later than average reaching the shops (While I grow many vegetables I haven't started an asparagus bed.......) but now the wait is over. Homemade baguette, lemon from the garden, warmed asparagus, today I went with delicious NZ butter (but sometimes toss the warm asparagus in olive oil) it was just as good as I had anticipated. Over these next few weeks while the asparagus is about I'll use it in a host of different ways (including with my own multigrain breads), but this is the clear favourite. While those of you in the north are enjoying fall baking, it's the pleasure of spring for us in the southern hemisphere.
What are you enjoying with your bread, whatever the season is, where you are right now?
Is there anything seasonal you look forward to eating with your bread?
Cheers, Robyn