Asparagus Recipe

Cut the white part of the stalks off, and throw it away--cut the lower

part of the stalks in thin slices if tough, and boil them eight or ten

minutes before the upper part is put in. Lay the remainder compactly

together, tie it carefully in small bundles, and boil it from fifteen to

twenty minutes, according to its age. Boil a little salt with them, and

a quarter of a tea spoonful of saleratus, to two or three quarts of

water, to preserve their fresh green color. Just before your asparagus

is done, toast a slice of bread, moisten it with a little of the

asparagus liquor, lay it in your asparagus dish, and butter it--then

take up the asparagus carefully with a skimmer, and lay it on the toast,

take off the string, salt it, and turn a little melted butter over the

whole.