Asparagus Etiquette and History

Asparagus “was a favorite of French King Louis XIV, who reintroduced the vegetable to European tables after years of neglect.” — Above: An assortment of asparagus servers and serving tongs, including the French designed and made, gilded flat server and the large filigree tongs in the top middle of the photo. Also, shown on the bottom right, is a pair of American made, individual asparagus tongs to be used instead of one’s fingers. These individual tongs would have been part of each guest’s place setting from the Gilded Age to the 1930’s.

Asparagus is related to the lily, and like the flower it has come to symbolize spring to many a vegophile.

This being the end of its March-to-June growing season, it's still plentiful in the stores right now. And although it is available all year- round although imported and at - a high price nothing beats its - taste when cooked fresh.

There are two kinds of asparagus— white and green. The white variety is much more a delicacy and gets its pale color because it is picked just as the tips break the soil, it was a favorite of French King Louis XIV, who reintroduced the vegetable to European tables after years of neglect.

Asparagus is a treat, and one of the reasons is that it is finger food. Guardians of etiquette have given asparagus a special dispensation when it comes to knives and forks. Only the tips need be speared by a fork, but the correct way is to lift the spear to your mouth and chomp down of course doing your best to avoid getting vinaigrette or hollandaise sauce on your clothes. — By Orlando Ramirez, Copley News Service, 1994

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia