Good Stuff

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Spring and asparagus are almost synonymous. There's nothing better than taking advantage of the great garden bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Whether you pick it from your own space or run down to the local market, locally grown food tastes like nothing else. Plus it's the right thing to do! Check out this scrumptious recipe:

• 2 lbs asparagus
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 5 cups chicken broth
• Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp dry vermouth
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Cook onion in butter in a 4 or 6-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth, thyme, and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth. If you want a very creamy texture, you can put the purée through a food mill or press it through a sieve. Transfer to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in cream. Stir in vermouth and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with asparagus tips. Serves 4-6.

Rain Chains

Rain chains ('Kusari doi' in Japanese) offer a highly attractive and unique alternative to traditional downspouts. They are hung from the corners of your roof or canal to guide the flow of water into large barrels to catch the water from the roof for household purposes and gardening. They have been used for hundreds of years in Japan, and are a perfect expression of the Japanese knack for combining aesthetics and practicality.

The principle is simple - rain chains do exactly what downspouts do, but they do it in a way that brings visual pleasure and delight. Rain swirls and flows down, creating a mesmerizing sense of motion and tranquility right outside your window. And they are beautiful on dry days too, as over time, copper rain chains develop a rich blue-green patina. Rainchains can be an integral part of any garden.

We've got them at Falling Water Gardens! Check out the price page.