Asparagus

Asparagus. Yum. Whether baked, steamed, or grilled, it's so delicious. And if It wasn't 9am and I wasn't gulping down mocha, I would consider having some. Asparagus is so easy to work with - any sauce goes well with it. It's so versatile!

Normally at this part of the blog, I would begin to discuss recipes and meal combinations. But not today. As some of you may know, I'm a 3am thinker. If I have any anxiety, my body wakes up at 3am and I am flooded with thoughts of everything that I perceive wrong (I need to clean! Did I pay the cable bill? What am I going to wear to that wedding in three months?) Sometimes there are actual issues, but most of the time it's just a little dose of 3am crazy. Magnesium, I've found helps with these delightful episodes. Though last night, I woke up for just a second. And asparagus was on the tip of my lips. Yep, asparagus. Here's the thing, not on how to cook it... on how to eat it!

We all eat asparagus by cutting it into one inch to one-and-a-half inch pieces, then pick up a few pieces successfully (or unsuccessfully) with your fork. But it's frustrating, you can't always get the pieces you want and the cutting. Oh the cutting, that turns into squeaks that a reminiscent of fingernails on a chalkboard. Bah! I can't even. 

Here's the thing: of the etiquette books I've read (dozens), those that address this issue all say the same thing. Use your fingers. Seriously. Use your fingers. Emily Post even says so. But I personally can't get over the idea of being at a nice restaurant or at a dinner party and picking up asparagus to eat it with my fingers (though as much as I love asparagus, that would be a really quick way to shovel them in my mouth and get instant gratification). All I can see are my fingers covered in oil, butter, or cheese and a huge mess ensuing from there. No thanks. 

Here are my thoughts: fork or fingers... either flies with me. But be on the look out friends, I might be using my fingers. How do you think it's appropriate to eat asparagus?