Stockton Asparagus Festival

To celebrate its 25^th Anniversary, the Stockton Asparagus Festival is producing an anniversary cookbook featuring 166 recipes using asparagus. The 171 page collection of recipes is a compilation of 25 years of the Stockton Asparagus Festival, from past cookbooks, from files of the California Asparagus Commission, and from top winners of the annual Recipe Contest.

This special edition is dedicated to the three gentlemen responsible for founding this long-lasting, nationally acclaimed food festival: Bill DePaoli, California Asparagus Grower’s Commission; Joe Travale, Stockton Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Gordon Medlin, Bank of Stockton.

The book also contains a congratulatory letter from Martin Yan, who has been the featured celebrity chef for over a decade. He says, “I have been to food festivals all over the world, and I must say that the Asparagus Alley is as unique as it gets.” “The best thing that I get to take with me after the festival, he claims, is the collection of great recipes.”

In addition to recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, side dishes, sauces and dressings, the book also contains some history of the green stalk, as well as tips on how to select, store and prepare. There are also informative sections about the Festival, Asparagus Alley, the California Asparagus Commission, and the annual Recipe Contest.

Also appropriate to celebrate 25 years of the Stockton Asparagus Festival, the illustrations throughout the pages are by local artist Bill Kobus from the original 1986 “Asparagus, All Ways…Always.”

The book will be available for holiday gift giving. The cost is $12.00 and shipping and handling is $5.00. To order email us at info@asparagusfest.com; or visit Beyond Pots & Pans, 4343 Pacific Avenue; at the Stockton Chamber of Commerce, 445 W. Weber Ave., #220; at the Downtown Alliance, 343 E. Main St., 1st Floor; or by calling the Stockton Asparagus Festival office at (209) 644-3740.
 
We accept cash, checks, MasterCard, Visa or AMEX:

RE: Festival Cookbook
343 E. Main Street, 10th Floor Suite B & C
Stockton, California 95202
(209) 644-3740
 
Here’s a tantalizing sample recipe from the book:

Steak and ‘Gras
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, slivered
1 large flank or sirloin steak, sliced in 1/4-inch slices
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2-3/4 lb. asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
1/2 cup water
1-2 Tbsp. brandy or whiskey
Cornstarch (optional)

Heat large fry pan with olive oil. Add garlic, steak that has been sliced into 1/4-inch slices, and soy sauce. Cook until brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion, celery, and sliced asparagus to pan with drippings. Stir fry 2-3 minutes. Add water and brandy, cover cooking 5 minutes or until ‘gras is tender. Return beef and garlic mixture to pan. Stir-fry 1 minute more.

A small amount of cornstarch may be added to thicken juices if desired. May be served over rice or noodles.

Serves 4-5.