Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup
Dorcas Annette Walker

March is days of contrast; temperatures soaring into the warm seventies and then plunging into the low thirties. You never know from one week to the next just what the weather will be. Yet in spite of radical weather changes, barren earth comes to life, flowers begin to bloom, grass becomes green, trees unfurl tiny brand new leaves, and there is expectancy in the air because spring has arrived. Chill winter winds turn into blustery gusts with bursts of spring rain only to soften into warm breezes. I love hanging wash out on the line in March watching clean clothes play hide and seek with the clothes pins as the wind whips the clothes around with each blast of air that quickly dries the wash even under cloudy skies. Yes, March’s weather conditions are fickle, but seldom boring.

One of the first things a person can harvest when gardens have just started being planted is tender shoots of asparagus. I have become very familiar with asparagus due to the unfortunate circumstances of inheriting my grandmother’s weak bladder that often causes one to flare up with bladder infections. Anyone who has suffered bladder infections can sympathize. During my lifetime I have drunk countless gallons of cranberry juice and have been on numerous antibiotics only for my bladder to flare up again at a later date. I have researched and read about bladder infections trying all kinds of ideas, but it wasn’t until my daughter was almost a teenager when an older lady recommended eating asparagus with the juice that I finally found something effective in stopping bladder infections besides going on antibiotics. Ever since I have always kept a can of asparagus in my pantry for any beginning signs of a bladder infection. It’s been years now since I’ve had to take antibiotics for a bladder infection and I’ve noticed that I don’t have near as many flare up’s as before. So if you are plagued with bladder troubles start eating asparagus.

Each bite of my creamy Asparagus Soup is a delightful taste of spring and a perfect dish for St. Patrick’s Day. The Asparagus Soup can be made year round by using frozen or canned asparagus (just don’t forget to adjust the amount of salt). Preparation time for my Asparagus Soup is thirty minutes and this recipe serves two.

Asparagus Soup

1 c fresh asparagus spears
1 c celery
1 c water
½ tsp salt & pepper to taste
1 (12 oz) can of evaporated milk
1 tb dried onion
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tb cornstarch

Cook the asparagus, celery, salt & pepper in the water for about ten minutes until soft. Let cool for five minutes. Place in a blender and liquefy. Pour back into the saucepan adding the milk, onion, and bouillon cube. Place the cornstarch in a little bit of water just enough to dissolve and stir in. Bring all the ingredients to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Garnish with asparagus tips!

Weekly tip: Asparagus is a member of the lily family whose cultivation began more than 2,000 years ago in the eastern Mediterranean region. Never wash or soak asparagus before storing. Instead stand upright in an inch of water in the bottom of a jar, and cover with plastic for up to two days. Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A, C and E, B, potassium and zinc!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcasannettewalker@gmail.com For more recipes check out her Creative Tennessee Mountain Cookin blog at: www.dorcasannettewalker.webs.com