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

Gilded Age Table Novelties

 

It would be possible to duplicate this arrangement by combining two sizes of bowls already in possession in these days, when many glass closets show shelves well-stocked in this line. 

Many asparagus servers do not serve satisfactorily to the purposes for which they are designed. It remains to be seen if this will. It certainly has a plausible appearance.

A Floral Finger Bowl and One More Sort of Asparagus Dish

Housekeepers will be glad of a look at the two novelties shown. The double finger bowl is a simple arrangement of two bowls, one inside the other, the larger one holding a little water, enough to moisten the few flowers needed to give the upper and actual finger bowl the appearance of resting in a wreath. 

It would be possible to duplicate this arrangement by combining two sizes of bowls already in possession in these days, when many glass closets show shelves well-stocked in this line.


The second novelty is an asparagus rack for serving that rather difficulty-handled vegetable, with a sauce boat at each end, in which may be offered respectively, the plain melted butter and white sauce served with the course.


Manufacturers seem weary of offering improvements and suggestions in the way of asparagus dishes, tongs, forks, and spoons. Many of them do not serve satisfactorily to the purposes for which they are designed. It remains to be seen if this will. It certainly has a plausible appearance. — The New York Times, 1894

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