Asparagus Season

It is a well known fact that eating asparagus makes stinky pee. Early spring is the height of asparagus season. These two facts converge to make asparagus cheap and plentiful in the grocery, and to make public bathrooms even more unpleasant than usual.

And without further ado, here's my favourite way to get stinky pee.

Blanched Asparagus with Mustard Vinagrette Dipping Sauce

1 big bunch asparagus
Mustard
Vinegar of your choice - and this is just a small sampling - use whatever you find delicious.
sweet - rice vinegar, plum wine vinegar
medium - cider vinegar, white wine vinegar
sour - white vinegar, sukang maasim (white vinegar infused with hot peppers, garlic, and onion)
Oil of your choice
flavourful - dark sesame or virgin olive
light flavour - grapeseed
Powdered ginger

To blanch the asparagus
Using a pot large enough to drop stalks in whole, bring 3/4 pot of water to a rolling boil on high heat
While the water heats, trim woody bits from the bottoms of the stalks
When the water boils, drop in your asaparagus
Wait for the water to return to a boil
Cook about 30 seconds (I usually do less - 10s or so - I like my aspargus almost raw)
Drain and rinse in cold water to arrest cooking

For the sauce
In a non-metal container mix
Roughly 1Tbs mustard with
Enough vinegar of your choice to make runny
Add a dollop of oil of your choice
Add a pinch of powdered ginger
Stir thouroughly and taste.
Adjust ingredients as needed....

Or just buy a bottle of your favourite salad dressing.

Don't worry if you wind up with too much sauce. The leftover stores fine in the fridge, and can be used as a marinade or salad dressing later.

Dunk asparagus and enjoy. Double dip if you want - I won't tell. Hold your breath the next time you pee.