Are We Having Asparagus Yet?

For centuries, asparagus has been regarded as a harbinger of spring. But while we used to have to wait until late March or early April to begin our annual gorge, this year asparagus is appearing right now.

It’s not that the seasons have changed. For most of the state, it is still far too cool for asparagus to grow. But in the warm Imperial Valley--on the California-Arizona-Mexico border--farmers have begun turning to asparagus in increasing amounts.

The Imperial Valley has long been California’s (and much of the rest of the nation’s) winter salad bowl, as well as a prime supplier of broccoli and melons. But with the variability of lettuce and melon prices and the ever-present danger in the area from whitefly infestations, farmers are branching out.

While you can find asparagus earlier than ever, make sure the bud tips are tightly closed. In warm-weather climates, asparagus tends to bolt quickly, resulting in some deterioration of quality.

* Reports are showing that this year’s near-record avocado harvest is particularly heavy on smaller-sized fruits. Expect to see grocery stores selling them in packages and on eight- and even 10-for-$1 specials. They taste just as good as the bigger avocados, and there is actually a slightly higher fruit-to-pit ratio, since the seed matures later than the rest of the fruit. This early in the avocado season, you may see some unusual coloring on the skin of the popular Hass variety. It takes exposure to sunlight to turn the skin black on ripe avocados. With less sunlight, they’ll be dark purple and even reddish. This is strictly cosmetic and doesn’t affect the quality of the fruit.

* Ever wonder why orange juice squeezed from navel oranges tastes more sour than that from juicing oranges? Blame it on the lymanen. Though the enzyme is found in all oranges, in juicing oranges (like Valencia, Sweets and Hamlins) the lymanen is found in the seeds rather than the pulp.