Asparagus and Jarlsberg Cheese Omelette

Steamed Asparagus

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Steamed Asparagus

A simple, straightforward recipe to steam asparagus!

Course Side Dish

Keyword asparagus, steamed

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Steamer pan set

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Asparagus One pound bundle
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Water

Instructions

• Gather Ingredients.
• Put butter, water, and salt in the bottom of steamer pan. Bring to a boil.
• Cut off woody ends of asparagus.
• Place asparagus in the top of the steamer pan. Let sit for 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus.
• Remove from the steamer, and enjoy!

Grilled Asparagus

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Grilled Asparagus

A summertime classic version of asparagus!

Course Side Dish

Keyword asparagus, grilled

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes minutes

Total Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• 1 Grill

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Asparagus 1 pound bundle
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 tbsp Balsamic reduction
• 1/2 tbsp Shaved parmesean

Instructions

• Gather all ingredients
• Trim woody ends of asparagus and brush with olive oil and lightly salt
• Grill on a hot grill, flip once. (Remove when it becomes slightly limp. This cooks very fast so don’t look away!)
• Drizzle with balsamic reduction and add shaved parmesan.
• Serve immediately.

White Asparagus vs. Green Asparagus: What is the difference? 

Although a bit less common, you may have seen white asparagus and wondered: what’s going on with that? In short: it depends on how much sun the asparagus gets! White asparagus and green asparagus are slightly different, but the same vegetable!

Both colors of asparagus are pretty much the same, just the growing process is different. White asparagus is grown without sunlight, either underground or in dark tunnels. The chlorophyll production that normally occurs in sunlight doesn’t happen – which results in a paler version of asparagus!

This does change the taste of asparagus, and makes it more tender and sweeter than the more common green asparagus. When prepared for cooking, white asparagus normally has the outer layer removed which is tougher than green asparagus, making it more tender after cooking. 

Even though white asparagus is grown underground or in dark tunnels, the growing time is the same – both are grown in the spring! 

While Carrigan Farms only grows green asparagus, keep an eye out for white asparagus this spring in the grocery store! For more information on asparagus at Carrigan Farms, visit our website here: www.carriganfarms.com/asparagus/

Thick versus thin asparagus: how the growing process changes asparagus thickness? 

We’ve all seen different sizes of asparagus – and you may even have a preference! Some people prefer thin asparagus spears, and others may prefer thick asparagus! So what’s the difference between thick versus thin asparagus, and how does the growing process change the thickness of the asparagus?

The thickness of a spear of asparagus is mostly determined by the health, age, closeness to the crown, and depth in which the asparagus is grown. 

• Thick Asparagus:

  • Typically grows on younger, healthy roots
  • Grows closer to the crown/center of the root
  • Grows earlier in the season 
  • Grows on roots planted deeper, 6-8 inches under the ground 

• Thin Asparagus: 

  • Typically grows on more established roots 
  • Grows farther away from the crown/center of the root
  • Grows later in the season 
  • Grows on roots planted shallower, 2-4 inches under the ground 

While people often associate the thickness of asparagus with their taste preference, most of the texture and taste of asparagus depends on the cooking method! Whether it is thick or thin, asparagus can be tender or crisp, more fibrous or less fibrous, just depending on how the asparagus is prepared and cooked.

Sometimes, your cooking method should reflect what asparagus you’re looking for! Thick asparagus is great for grilling because it’s easier to turn/ flip and is substantial on the plate. Thin asparagus is perfect for quick cooking like steaming, or preparing in a stir fry or omelet. Either way, both options are equally nutritious! Asparagus has a lot of vitamins and nutrients and is a great vegetable option. 

Asparagus is available at Carrigan Farms in the spring, for more info visit: www.carriganfarms.com/asparagus/

What grows 7 inches a day? Fun Asparagus Facts!

Asparagus facts!

• How much does Asparagus grow in a day? 

  • How much an asparagus grows in a day is highly dependent on the weather! With the changing weather in the spring, especially in North Carolina, how much an asparagus grows depends on how warm it is. Asparagus can grow anywhere between 6-10 inches in 24 hours. During this time, we harvest asparagus daily. In the beginning of spring, when the weather is cooler or less consistently warm, asparagus grows a little more slowly. Asparagus is harvested when it is about 6-8 inches long. 
• You can eat asparagus raw
• • Yes! Asparagus is a safe vegetable to eat raw and is very rich in nutrients! Just make sure that you trim the woody ends of the asparagus, and choose a firm feeling asparagus for a crisp, raw asparagus! 
  • If you find raw asparagus a bit bitter, there’s an east fix! You can cook it with a bit of lemon juice to reduce that bitter flavor! 
  • Asparagus is rich in Vitamin A, C, and K and serves as a source of fiber and antioxidants.

• Asparagus is a perennial can live for a long time

  • Yes, asparagus is a perennial, which just means that once you plant it, they continue to regrow and produce each spring. This is different from an annual plant, which grows once then dies off. 
  • Asparagus can continue to produce for more than 20 years if well maintained! 

• Does Asparagus sleep during the winter months? 

  • Yes! Asparagus goes dormant in the winter months, after spending the summer ferning to grow and store energy in its root crowns. After the first frost in the fall (when the temperature drops around freezing overnight) the asparagus goes dormant until the spring! 

• What do asparagus plants do in the summer? 

  • In the summer, asparagus plants either “fern out” or “bolt” – when the last spears of asparagus are not harvested (or cut), the asparagus grows into a fern-like plant that photosynthesizes and stores energy for the next year! 
  • This happens as a natural process, as the fern plant tries to store energy (via photosynthesis) for the upcoming cold season when it goes dormant. 
  • This is important, as the roots of the asparagus plan store energy like a battery until the following spring when it is time to make more asparagus!

• What makes your pee stink?

  • Does asparagus make your pee stink? It actually depends on the person! The change in urine smell is caused by a compound called “asparagusic acid” and is actually a sulfur-containing compound. 
  • When you eat asparagus, the “asparagusic acid” is broken down. The sulfur parts of the acid are removed when you pee! Because your body gets rid of these in your urine, it makes your pee smell! 
  • Here’s the weirdest part: Your pee smells like that when you eat asparagus, without exception. However, some people say asparagus doesn’t make their pee smell because they can’t smell it! Depending on your genetics, you may lack the ability to smell those sulfur compounds.

Hope you enjoyed some asparagus facts! For more information on getting Asparagus at Carrigan Farms, visit our website here: www.carriganfarms.com/asparagus/

I’m engaged, where do I start? The first steps in planning your wedding.

You’re engaged, now where do you start with planning a wedding? The first few weeks after getting engaged, there is a lot of excitement from friends and family! Then comes the questions about your wedding. When do you want to get married? Where do you think you’ll get married? Who’s invited? A popular question we get during wedding tours is “What else do we need to do?”

While there can be a lot of details in planning a wedding, there are four items to go over as you start to think about your wedding.

Step one: Put together a guest list.

A guest list, even a very general guess at how many people you will invite, will help you narrow down some options for a location, time of year, and venue. Some venues have headcount minimums depending on the day of the week, and it will help with budgeting.

Step two: Decide when you’d like to get married.

Deciding when and where you’re getting married is the following question! Do you want a destination wedding? Would Do you want to get married in the Spring or the Fall? Do you have a lot of people traveling, or are most of your guests that you’re inviting local to you? If you’re asking people to travel, giving them a longer timeline to book flights, hotels, and travel accommodations is a good idea. If everyone is local, you can also look into quick-turnaround weddings! Deciding on the time of year can also help narrow down venue options, and whether outside options for weddings works for your timeline! 

Step three: Create a budget.

Budgeting for a wedding is one of the most difficult pre-wedding planning stages. Everyone’s finances are different, but definitely start by deciding on a number that you both feel comfortable spending on a wedding. There’s no need to spend all your savings on one day, especially with other life expenses like a house, car, and pets or children, but having a number that you both feel comfortable spending helps you prioritize the parts of the wedding that you want! Do you want to focus on something like meals and alcohol? Do you want a photographer and videographer for memories? Creating a budget will help with the next step, taking venue tours.

Step four: Venue tours.

Picking the venue is the starting point for the rest of wedding decisions. Booking a venue solidifies your date and time to start sending out Save The Dates and Invitations. It also is a good time to start finding other available vendors like a photographer or DJ. Some venues are just rentals and have their own cost, and those venues normally have dedicated caterers or a list of approved caterers to choose from. Other venues, like Carrigan Farms include catering and the catering cost is wrapped into the venue cost.

While getting engaged means starting the wedding planning process, don’t forget to enjoy your time being engaged! Starting a guest list, creating a budget, and visiting venues should be your first steps. Celebrate with your loved ones and figure out the best wedding option for you and yours! Carrigan Farms offers weddings year-around, contact us to find out more about our wedding options! 

Quick Turnaround Weddings: Cost-Effective and Less Stressful!

We all have different names for it. Quick turnaround weddings, flash weddings, shotgun weddings – a wedding in a short time period!

You are engaged and looking at all the different options for your wedding: consider a quick turnaround wedding. The average engagement time is 12-18 months, but there are a lot of benefits to getting married in the 3-6 months after you get engaged! Quick turnaround weddings can be more budget friendly, make it easier to pick out a wedding date, and can be less stressful than planning a wedding farther out! 

Budget Friendly

Short term, or quick turnaround weddings can have a significant impact on a wedding budget, making your wedding more budget friendly! Venues and vendors on shorter timelines, along with skipping other wedding events can make your wedding cheaper than it would be on a more traditional 12-18 month timeline. Venues and vendors can offer discounted rates or minimums for weddings only a few months away. You can also skip things like bachelor or bachelorette parties in favor of welcome parties or group activities during the wedding week! 

Availability

Finding a date that works for your wedding can be tricky, especially with venue requirements for wedding sizes. With quick turnaround weddings, venues can have flexibility on wedding requirements. That means they may have available dates and times that normally would not be offered based on the size of your wedding as well as other requirements! 

While planning a wedding in a short amount of time sounds like it would be stressful, venues and other vendors may know other vendors or have in-house options for things normally planned by you! You can ask your venue for recommended vendors, suggestions on wedding details, and options for your wedding!

Less Stress!

Shortening the wedding timeline also gives you an opportunity to pick and choose the wedding-adjacent activities! Weddings can bring bachelor and bachelorette parties, bridal showers, welcome parties, rehearsal dinners, and more. With quick turnaround weddings, you have the opportunity to just focus on a select few. Which is both less stressful and budget friendly! You can opt for a few days of activities for your wedding guests! Host a welcome party and local activities, rather than weekend getaway bachelor and bachelorette parties or a bridal shower. 

Consider a quick turnaround wedding if you are engaged and exploring wedding options. These weddings happen 3-6 months after engagement, offering several advantages. Opting for a quick turnaround wedding allows you to have a memorable celebration while being more cost-effective and less stressful. Carrigan Farms offers quick turnaround weddings, elopements and more! Contact us for options and more information!