Gift Ideas for National Asparagus Day
National Asparagus Day is coming up, and if you’re looking for the perfect gift, we’ve got you covered. Our delicious asparagus spears are sure to please any food lover on your list. Plus, they’re perfect for any occasion!
Whether you’re looking for a unique gift or something to celebrate the holiday, our asparagus spears are sure to impress.
- Our story about National Asparagus Day
- Learning all about Asparagus
- So, why don’t some People Love Asparagus?
- History of National Asparagus Day
- How can you Celebrate?
- Alternate Celebration Day
- Do you give Gifts to Celebrate National Asparagus Day?
- Reproduction of a Bunch of Asparagus
- Reproduction of The Fruit Seller
- Blue & White Karuma Ceramic Cereal Bowl
- Extra Large Hand Carved African Bowl and Three Headstand
- Kenyan Handmade Decorative Wooden Bowls
- Share Gift Ideas for National Asparagus Day
- National Days
Our story about National Asparagus Day
He couldn’t believe that there had been a time when asparagus was considered a delicacy for the rich. It certainly wasn’t a favorite amongst his classmates or friends. Even his two younger brothers didn’t like asparagus that much.
But Trevor loved asparagus. Whether his mom served it with a Hollandaise sauce or a poached egg or just plain butter, he loved, loved it. He guessed he had acquired dad’s taste for the vegetable because even Mom, the one who cooked the meal, didn’t like it so much.
“Don’t worry, Mom. You can sleep in tomorrow morning. I’ve got breakfast.” At twelve, Trevor was growing up very fast, and because his dad was away more than he was home (he was currently deployed in Honduras), Trevor had learned to help mom and often picked up the slack every now and then.
The next day was April 23, and it was a Saturday, so Mom did not have to be at work. And dad was home for a three-day weekend. He wanted Saturday morning to be special for his parents; he wanted them to catch up on things and have a little time to themselves.
And it was National Asparagus Day that Saturday.
As he woke the following morning, he was excited. He had all his family members under one roof. Dad had come home from Honduras the day before, looking lean, tall, and healthy. His mom and his two younger brothers, Dave and Beau, had been beaming with smiles ever since. That was a lot to be thankful for.
Later that day, he was going dirt bike riding with Dad. This was something they had not done together in more than four months, the last time Dad had been home.
But first, they were going to celebrate National Asparagus Day. Asparagus was one of the first dishes he had learned to cook, being that he loved it so much. It was not a full meal itself, but it made a great accompaniment to homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. He had also mastered mashed potatoes, but not the gravy. The gravy they would have that morning had been a gift from Grandma. She had brought it home the night before to welcome Dad home.
Because the meal he planned to make was straightforward and didn’t require much time, he waited until he heard Dad and Mom moving about in their room. Some minutes later, he listened to the voices of his younger brothers as they quarreled over something. It seemed they were always squabbling over stuff. How annoying were younger ones?
Once he was satisfied that everyone was awake and would be coming down to breakfast soon, he started his cooking. First, he made the mashed potatoes, using his mom’s prized masher, and cooking with a generous amount of butter, because hey, who doesn’t love butter.
To make the asparagus, he first preheated the oven.
Then, he got to trimming and washing the asparagus, after which he drizzled it with olive oil. When he was done, he gave it a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. This year, he was going fancy and would serve his family oven-roasted asparagus. Hopefully, mom and the younger boys would take a liking to this version. He was sure Dad was going to love it.
Once he had baked the asparagus until they were tender, he sprinkled them with some lemon juice.
After he was done, the dining nook smelled like a slice of heaven. Then, he went to call his family to sit down and eat of the labor of love he had prepared for them.
Learning all about Asparagus
Not everyone loves asparagus, but do you know they are about the healthiest vegetables ever? The vegetable is a tasty and nutritious addition to any diet. It is an excellent source of nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, fiber, and folate, and it is low in calories. Asparagus is not only packed full of minerals but is also very rich in antioxidants.
It helps with weight loss, achieves lower blood pressure, and improves digestion. Plus, it’s relatively cheap. What a vegetable!!!
So, why don’t some People Love Asparagus?
You may be one of the people who don’t like asparagus.
The thing is, while there are people who genuinely don’t care for the slightly bitter taste of asparagus, most people who claim a dislike for the vegetables don’t like it because of the way they’ve had it prepared in the past. Perhaps it was badly seasoned, overcooked, or burned.
Rightly and lovingly prepared, asparagus tastes very lovely and is the perfect addition to most main courses. So, why not give it another try?
History of National Asparagus Day
In ancient times (In Rome and Greece in particular), only rich people ate asparagus. As trade across borders expanded, asparagus was transported to several other countries around the world, and it gained global popularity.
Each year, the world waited with bated breath for the vegetable to bloom, and its arrival became a reason to celebrate. This is the genesis of National Asparagus Day.
The asparagus season is quite short, usually from around the end of April to the start of June. Because of the shortness of the asparagus season, National Asparagus Day is a fun and relaxed way to make the best use of fresh asparagus.
How can you Celebrate?
Those who live in or near asparagus-growing areas can attend an official National Asparagus Day party.
If you have never heard of such a party or live far away from asparagus-growing areas, you can host a party of your own. You can invite everyone on your block to dinner (if you like elaborate shin dings), or you can cook a simple breakfast or dinner for your family.
Just make sure that the star of your dish is asparagus.
Alternate Celebration Day
While most of the world celebrates National Asparagus Day on May 24 according to Days of the Year however in Britain they celeberate National Asparagus Day on the 23th of April.
Do you give Gifts to Celebrate National Asparagus Day?
It is not typical to give gifts to celebrate National Asparagus Day, but who doesn’t love to receive gifts any day of the year.
To celebrate that special person in your life who loves asparagus and all things asparagus-themed, here are beautiful ideas on gifts you can give:
Reproduction of a Bunch of Asparagus
If you have an art lover in your life who also happens to love asparagus, that person will surely appreciate this unique gift.
“A Bunch of Asparagus” was originally painted by the famous French artist, Edouard Manet. It is a still-life picture of freshly bought asparagus. Edouard Manet was an extremely famous painter in his lifetime, usually depicting daily urban life scenes but venturing every now and then into still life, which he had a great love for. He often said that still, life painting was one of the genres of painting where the focus was on the visuality of the subject instead of the subject itself.
He also famously painted “Bouquet of Violets,” “Oysters”, and “Lilac in a Glass” within this genre.
The background in “A Bunch of Asparagus” is painted with a mixture of brown and black with visible brushstrokes, with the asparagus centered and rendered with a detailed light-yellowish color.
While you may not be able to purchase the original painting for your loved one, you will do well with a reproduction that is hand-painted by a talented museum artist.
Why we love it: Of course, we love it because it fits perfectly with the theme of the celebration, “asparagus.” Besides, it was created by a most famous painter.
Reproduction of The Fruit Seller
We also love Vincenzo Campi’s “The Fruit Seller.” Campi was born in 1536 and died in 1591, but his paintings live on, one of which is “The Fruit Seller.” Campi was Italian and is renowned as one of the first northern Italian artists to use the Flemish realism style. His father before him was a painter, as were his two younger brothers.
“The Fruit Seller” was originally done with oil on canvas. While you will not be able to purchase the original, you can get a hand-painted reproduction that will leave your loved one speechless with gratitude.
Quick facts
Title: The Fruit Seller
Original Artist: Vincenzo Campi
Medium: Painting – Oil On Canvas
Why we love it: We love it because it is realism art; a detailed, accurate, and unembellished depiction of nature. Besides, the original painting and well-done reproductions are stunning, perfect for hanging above the fireplace or in dining alcoves.
Blue & White Karuma Ceramic Cereal Bowl
These Karuma Ceramic Cereal Bowls are handmade from a selection of raw materials such as stoneware and terracotta in Vietnam and China and make a stunning addition to dishware. The distinctive decorative patterns are carefully hand-painted and are eye-catching.
Because National Asparagus Day celebrates food, this cereal bowl (which works great for puddings and soups as well), is a perfect gift for the food lover you know.
What’s more, this dishware is eco-friendly and ethically made by skilled artisans who bring centuries-old techniques that are passed down from generation to generation to the table.
Why we love them: These bowls are handmade and are not your garden variety kind of bowls. Each one was lovingly made with attention paid to every detail. Besides, we adore the use of blue and white colors, which were typically reserved for special occasions or used for diplomatic gifts in 14th century China.
In case you love the blue but are more looking for blue pottery then visit our article about amazing Pakistani artisans creating stunning pots that are a really pieces of art.
Extra Large Hand Carved African Bowl and Three Headstand
Carved from one single piece of wood, the hand-carved African bowl is a unique gift. Traditionally, wooden bowls are used for popcorn or salads, and sometimes pot roasts, meat, stews, and chili. However, this wooden bowl is so pretty your loved one might decide to use it more like an ornament.
The artisans who created this particular bowl display immense talent and attention to detail with the meticulously carved scenes on the sides of each unique bowl. The gift comes with a bowl and a stand.
Why we love it: A bowl symbolizes openness, and this bowl will hold nourishment that many can share. Made of wood, we also love the symbolism of endurance, strength warmth. This is why this gift has our mark of approval.
Kenyan Handmade Decorative Wooden Bowls
These are handmade African Wooden Bowls that are hand-carved and hand-painted with mixed African designs. These bowls are versatile and can be used in different ways, from jewelry holders to centerpieces.
This is a gift of uncommon value that will still be around for a long time and can potentially be passed from one generation to the other.
Why we love it: The natural materials and earth-toned colors of this bowl are a perfect addition to any home. What a beautifully crafted piece of art with plenty of love invested into it.
Share Gift Ideas for National Asparagus Day
We ask that you share National Asparagus Day with your friends and families so that they can all benefit from the awesomeness of this vegetable. Enjoy the day with your family and/or friends as you sit down to a shared meal.
You can have the vegetable raw (tastes like a sweet pea), sautéed, baked, or grilled. You can also add it to a soufflé, wrap it in bacon, or toss it into a salad.
Whichever way you choose to prepare this beautiful vegetable, you will be sure to enjoy it, as well as enjoy all the health benefits that it packs.
National Days
National days are a great way to celebrate the things we love, and there are plenty of national days dedicated to fruit and vegetables. National Banana Day is celebrated on April 21st, National Strawberry Day is celebrated on February 27th, and National Watermelon Day is celebrated on August 3rd.
National days dedicated to vegetables include National Celery Day (June 21st), National Corn on the Cob Day (June 11th), and National Zucchini Day (August 8th).
So, whether you’re a fan of fruit or vegetables, there’s a national day for you to enjoy. And if you’re feeling extra festive, why not try celebrating both? After all, a healthy diet should contain a bit of everything.
British National Asparagus Day
